Poisoned Love
by Spunky0ne
Summary: In the darkness of Itamigiri, Tetsuya is awakened sexually by his dangerous and sometimes cruel elder cousin. But what grows between the two is more than they know, and years later, it brings them together again unexpectedly. But where is the line between love and cruelty? And can Orochi learn to love Tetsuya, or will he lose the only person to ever love him? Orochi/Tetsuya...mpreg
1. Black Eyes and Blacker Soul

**Poisoned Love**

**(Here it is, folks! Requested by the lovely Lovise Polaris, a story of a darker, more dangerous love between the gentle Tetsuya and his wicked cousin, Orochi. But what begins as sexual slavery turns later into something the two must struggle to define. And before the end, Orochi must decide whether to admit what is between them or lose Tetsuya forever! This version has been carefully edited to remove any graphic descriptions and to fit the 'M' rating guidelines. The unedited version is available on AO3 now! This is my first fully OC pairing, so please support it with your reviews. And if you have a pairing you would like to see...from the manga or OC, feel free to PM your request! :) Enjoy the story!)**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

_**I am frightened.**_

_**I have lived in the same dark, cold cell for as long as I can remember. I have only a few flashes of memory of being with my mother, before I was old enough that they took me from her and placed me in the care of my cellmate, Naoki.**_

_**I was lucky.**_

_**Some cellmates are cruel. But Naoki is gentle and kind. And even though he cannot stop the evil thing that will happen to me today, he made sure that the first person to lie with me, would take me gently. This way, I know what love is supposed to feel like.**_

_**Because what will happen today when Orochi-sama calls for me is not love, nor anything like it.**_

_**Orochi-sama is cruel, and not like a person, but a snake.**_

_**His love...**_

_**is poison.**_

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: Black Eyes and Blacker Soul**

"Leave him and go."

Tetsuya shivered at the dead calm sound of Orochi's voice as it floated across the room from where his cousin sat at his desk, facing away from them. He scratched at the paper in front of him as the guard left Tetsuya standing and quivering softly in the entry to his quarters.

Tetsuya swallowed hard, his eyes taking in the expensive decor in the room. The furniture was new, and smelled richly of fine oak. The dark colors everywhere were carefully matched. The linens on the bed looked crisp and fastidiously pressed, and the blankets looked thick and warm. He was sure that if he hadn't been so scared at what the young man was about to do to him, he would have loved spending ten minutes in such a place, that was so much warmer, and smelled so much better than the dank and dreary confines of his cell.

"Well then, you are Tetsuya?"

"I am Kuchiki Tetsuya," he confirmed, trying to sound calmer than he felt.

He swallowed nervously at the glare he received in return.

"You are just Tetsuya," his cousin told him, "Mixed bloods do not have any more right to the names of the noble families as to the power they steal from us. You will simply be Tetsuya and I am Orochi-sama."

"Hai, Orochi-sama," Tetsuya said, bowing his head and finding it a relief to escape those cold, black eyes for a moment.

He caught his breath in surprise as Orochi's surprisingly warm hand slipped under his chin and raised it so that he was looking into the young man's eyes again.

"Are you afraid?" he asked, studying Tetsuya's white face intently.

"Who would not be?" Tetsuya responded, trying hard to keep from shivering, "Orochi-sama is said to be very cruel."

"Is that so?" Orochi asked, the ghost of a smile touching his lips, "Why is that? What have you heard?"

"I...I don't know," Tetsuya said, losing his nerve and trying to look away again, only to have his face captured and directed again to meet Orochi's dark, dangerous eyes, "Different things."

"You are afraid, and with good reason," Orochi told him, his voice still chillingly calm, "When I am not pleased with someone, I do make them hurt for it. But...if you are obedient, if you do everything that I tell you to, then you have nothing to fear, Tetsuya."

"Y-yes, sir."

Orochi's eyes darkened, and Tetsuya nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Yes, Orochi-sama," he corrected himself.

"Very well," said Orochi, moving in close to him, "I understand it is your birthday."

"Yes, Orochi-sama," Tetsuya answered, flinching as he felt the warmth of the other man on his already blushing face.

"You are lovely, for a mixed blood. You obviously stole your looks from my relative, Takao. You look very much like him."

Tetsuya wasn't sure whether to thank him, or to apologize, so he only remained silent and gazed back at Orochi steadily.

"Even though that comely face of yours is stolen, and your body is an abomination to the noble clans, you are still a living, breathing soul, so we need to find a use for you. Because of that, you will serve me. Whenever I send for you, you will come. Whatever I ask of you, you will do...even if it hurts, ne Tetsuya?"

Tetsuya's lips moved, but his voice refused to sound. Orochi's lips curved upward slightly, and his eyes glinted in anticipation.

"Go into the bathroom and wash that filth off of your body. Before you are with me, you will always go and wash yourself. I won't be with something that smells poorly."

"Yes, Orochi-sama," Tetsuya managed, slipping by him and fleeing into the bathroom.

He stood inside the bathroom, panting and shaking all over. But knowing that his cousin was not terribly patient, he forced himself to walk to the shower, where he turned on the water, then froze, staring.

He felt warmth touch his face and steam floated out from the falling streams of water. He reached out and touched it, then reeled with how wonderfully hot and comfortable it felt. It was easy then to slip in under the water and let it blaze onto skin that had only ever known water and stone that were icy and made him shiver. He breathed in the warm vapors and closed his eyes, savoring the comfort of being warm all through.

He jumped back in surprise, gasping as a hand touched his shoulder.

"Here," Orochi said, handing him a small bar of soap, "Don't use mine."

"Y-yes, Orochi-sama," he said, accepting the soap and proceeding to wash himself thoroughly.

And even knowing what his cousin was going to do to him, he couldn't help but love the scent of the fine soap, the feel of the water splashing down onto his bare skin and the sensation of being wholly clean, for the first time that he could remember. He sighed softly, scrubbing himself until his skin stung, breathing in the smell of the soap that clung to him, even after he washed it off of his skin.

"That's long enough," Orochi said, taking him by the arm and pulling him out from under the water.

He turned the water off, then handed Tetsuya a clean towel.

"Dry off and put that on."

Tetsuya began to dry himself, but paused and stared at the fine, beautiful blue yukata that waited on the wall hook in front of him.

"You like it?" Orochi asked, "I thought that it would match your eyes. You will wear this whenever you come to me. It is one of the privileges of being mine. I hope you like it."

"I...I've never worn anything like that before," Tetsuya whispered, reaching out to touch the silken material with tentative fingers.

He shuddered as Orochi pressed up against his bare back and wrapped possessive arms around him.

"I imagine not. And you will not, except when you are here."

Tetsuya continued to dry himself, his skin flushed, not just form the hot water, but in anticipation of what the other young man would do to him. Orochi remained quiet, watching as Tetsuya's still softly shaking hands dutifully rubbed the towel over his wet skin. He could have sworn that he could feel the black eyes burning into his back, raking down the length of his torso and feasting on his soft, round bottom. He barely kept from crying out as Orochi's hand stole the towel from his, and his cousin rubbed the towel over his shoulders, then turned him and dried his chest, lingering teasingly over his nipples, then looking into his eyes as he slowly dried the younger man's genitals.

Tetsuya's heart pounded wildly and adrenaline coursed through his veins, making him feel like he might jump out of his skin. The feeling only increased and sharpened as Orochi dropped the towel onto the sink and reached around Tetsuya to take the yukata from it's hook. As he leaned forward, he pressed up against Tetsuya's body, teasing the younger man with the feel of his already aroused member that touched Tetsuya's through Orochi's clothes. Tetsuya swallowed hard, wondering how much more his skin could blush. His breath left him as the fine, silken material fell around his shoulders, and he slipped his arms into the sleeves. Orochi left the front of the yukata open and motioned for Tetsuya to walk back out into the bedroom. On shaky legs, Tetsuya complied, his mind going numb as he stumbled forward, anticipating that their interaction was about to get more painful.

He stopped a few steps shy of the bed as he spotted the leather restraints that awaited him. His breath shortened, making him sway dizzily, then Orochi shoved him roughly, and he came down hard onto the bed on his back. He clenched his jaw to keep from crying out as Orochi's strong body fell onto his, the dark, predatory eyes sparking as their bodies crashed together. His head spinning madly, Tetsuya held on to enough of his will to resolve not to make a sound as Orochi's commanding hands grabbed his wrists, one by one, then his ankles, methodically binding each into the restraints. Then, he rested his body again on top of Tetsuya's, looking down into his frightened eyes, enjoying the fast beating of the younger man's heart, and feeling himself harden in anticipation.

"I won't lie to you," he said, sliding his hands up Tetsuya's arms, then caressing the bonds that held them, "I enjoy some pain with pleasure. This is why you have heard it said that I am a cruel man, Tetsuya. They don't understand. Pain doesn't have to be a bad thing. It can take you beyond pleasure. But, you will see what I mean."

Tetsuya only gazed up at him silently as Orochi's eyes flickered with power and he whispered a soft command. His eyes flashed for a moment, then Tetsuya heard a soft, hissing sound, and quivered, crying out involuntarily as four smooth, reptilian bodies slithered up his torso, one winding around each arm and leg, as Orochi observed his spooked reaction approvingly. And whatever his intentions had been, Tetsuya couldn't keep from shaking at the sight of the oddly beautiful, black snakes as they turned their heads and glared hypnotically into his eyes. He wanted to look away, but found himself frozen by those depthless, black orbs, unable to move as Orochi moved his hips, rubbing against Tetsuya's body, which, despite the terror coursing through his veins, was also reacting with surprising vigor.

"There, you see," Orochi breathed hotly in his ear, "You are afraid, but your body knows it is about to experience something new and earthshakingly intense. But we don't want you to climax too soon. No. And in fact, you will not climax until you have my permission to do so."

Tetsuya made a sound of distress, fearing that the restrictive device Orochi placed on him would be painful, but found quickly that even though it held him back from completion, it was not uncomfortably tight. But far worse than the uncomfortable feel of the device, was the growing pain of being forcibly held back from climax.

"Pleasure is a privilege you must earn," Orochi told him, teasing him with rough, invasive caresses, "The more you please me, the sooner I will allow you to feel good too. Do you understand, half-blood?"

"Y-y...yes, Orochi-sama," Tetsuya groaned, his eyelids fluttering as the uncomfortable feeling of need inside him increased.

"Good."

Orochi adjusted the restraints enough to allow him to turn onto his hands and knees. Then, he knelt in front of Tetsuya, sliding his arms around him tightly, and plunging into his mouth. Tetsuya's hands clenched within the restraints as his cousin's tongue thrust in between his parted lips and penetrated the depths of the younger man's mouth, aggressively exploring him. A gasp of pain escaped him as Orochi forced his way in deeper, making his mouth open uncomfortably wide, and nearly choking him before breaking away and traveling down the sweet flesh of his throat. Tetsuya turned his head away, but found it captured and his eyes returned to Orochi's penetrating gaze as their interaction continued.

Orochi's hand slid down his own torso, then moved on to his nether region to tease the area while Tetsuya was forced to watch. Then, his free hand curled around the younger man's neck, coaxing him downward as he issued a firm command.

"Pleasure me."

Tetsuya froze, loosing a frightened whimper as Orochi's scent drifted across his senses, making his own body react in defiance of his fears.

"Yes, I see your body wants this," Orochi teased him, "Taste it. It doesn't taste bad, and if you do a good job of it, then I will let you climax after I have been sated."

He tried then to move forward, but felt fear rise up like a wall in front of him. He felt the snakes that were curled around his wrists tighten painfully. Then, the sting of fangs shocked his skin and he cried out in surprise.

"Obey me at once," Orochi said, more threateningly, "Do it now, or I will punish you, Tetsuya. And then, you will do it anyway!"

Given no other choice, he moved forward, complying obediently. Orochi moaned contentedly at the sensation, keeping his fingers entangled in Tetsuya's hair and encouraging him.

"Just like that," Orochi panted, watching him closely.

It didn't take him long, looking down at Tetsuya's lovely, tormented face before he felt the approach of climax.

"Faster..." he panted breathlessly, shuddering as pleasure swept over him and he loosed his release.

Tetsuya choked and broke free of him, coughing and gagging as Orochi watched.

"Don't worry. You will get better with practice. Now, lie down on your back again."

He didn't wait for Tetsuya to comply, but shoved him down and tightened the restraints to that he could not twist away. Then, he knelt between the younger man's thighs and slowly prepared him for their joining. Tetsuya gasped, and instinctively tried to pull away, but couldn't move enough to escape. The binding snakes, stung his wrists and ankles with punishing strikes, dragging a sobbing gasp from him that was half pain and half intense, aching need for completion.

Orochi smiled at him slyly, continuing the teasing preparation. Tetsuya was quick to note that he spent less time and used less care in it than the gentler Naoki had. And all too soon, he lifted himself, and pulling on something attached to Tetsuya's bindings, dragged him to his knees and pulled his bound hands up above his head to fix him in place.

"What are you doing, Orochi-sama?" Tetsuya cried.

A shiver went through him as Orochi pressed up against his back, his thick, reawakened hardness rubbing against the younger man's bottom. Tetsuya gasped, and his heart raced painfully faster as the silken tie was removed slowly from his opened yukata and slipped around his head to cover his eyes.

"I will just let you wonder," Orochi answered, nipping at his ear, "But I don't think you can even imagine what I am about to do to you."

"Orochi-sama, please stop. I don't think I can..."

"Shh, of course you can. You are a good, obedient slave, Tetsuya. You have behaved very well, and I promise you, your reward is coming."

"O-orochi-ama!"

Tetsuya gave another gasping cry as the snakes' fangs punished his outburst, then reeled as Orochi's hands reached around from where he was pressed up against the younger man's back and slid slowly down his torso, pausing to caress him.

"Ah!"

He tried to remain quiet, but couldn't hold back a howl of distress as Orochi finally brought their bodies together.

Tetsuya couldn't help but scream, more from surprise and fear than from pain. He thought he might lose consciousness, but at the edges of sensation suddenly found Orochi's deep voice pulling him back into awareness.

"Stay with me."

The words sounded oddly out of place and gently spoken, considering cool, methodical nature in his treatment of his cousin up to that point. And Tetsuya registered somewhere in his spinning mind that Orochi's hands had taken on more gentleness. He clenched Tetsuya's hips tightly, his chin rested on his cousin's shoulder and his face pressed lightly to Tetsuya's sweating cheek as his hips moved. And despite his considerable fears, Tetsuya was strangely touched by the fast beating of the other man's heart against his back, the feeling of that other body wrapped tightly around his, and the low, erotic sounds his elder cousin was making.

"Orochi-s..."

The bindings on him shattered suddenly, and he fell down onto his stomach on the bed, Orochi still pressed to his back and moving faster, and providing such wicked pleasure that made Tetsuya scream blindly as the binding ring stopped him, suspended at the edges of oblivion.

"Orochi-sama, please!" he sobbed.

He registered Orochi's soft, amused laugh, then felt the offending ring being removed, freeing him suddenly and making him raise his hips hungrily. The two held on to each other tightly a the coil snapped viciously in each of them and the two fell together into an explosion of long, hot pulses of release. And for one stunned moment, Tetsuya's heart connected with Orochi's, sharing the gripping joy of completion. He nearly disappeared into the blazing heat that filled him, and felt tears on his face as Orochi's fingers caught his chin and pulled him into a long, over the shoulder kiss. They collapsed completely, Tetsuya's heaving body trapped beneath his cousin's, and his mind suddenly registering the disappearance of the bonds and black snakes. He was still blindfolded, but could feel the steady motion of Orochi's breaths. He began to drift towards sleep, wondering how someone like Orochi, who was seemingly so cold and methodical, could be so warm in body. He didn't know how long he would be allowed to remain in that comfortably warm bed, surrounded by the oddly compelling scents of their sexual joining, but an escape from the chill of his cell seemed a blessing, despite what he had been made to endure.

A sudden, curious thought shocked his sleepy mind.

_I have never seen Orochi sleeping._

He shifted carefully, dislodging the blindfold just enough to be able to steal a glimpse of the other man's face. The dangerous black eyes were closed and his body relaxed against Tetsuya's sweating back. His hair that was usually carefully slicked back had escaped his control somewhat, and several errant strands had trickled onto his strikingly handsome face.

_Orochi-sama is a beautiful and cruel man._

_How do I dare fall asleep in the arms of such a man?_

He was still wondering when sleep overtook him.

XXXXXXXXXX

Orochi woke some hours later to find that they had moved in their sleep, and he was lying on his back with Tetsuya curled up on his chest, his lovely face tucked beneath Orochi's chin and the fingers of one hand laced together with his. His first instinct was to wake his cousin and order him to dress in the dirty, poor shift he wore usually, and to send him back to his cold, dank cell.

It wasn't kindness that held him back from acting on that instinct, but a dark fascination with how Tetsuya was clinging to him, and the fact of how good it felt to be held that way.

He had had sex with other prisoners before...but never in his own room, never letting them wear fine clothes, and never using his powers as he had to bind them together and to intensify their joining. There was something different in what was between his half-blood cousin and himself that made him curious.

_But we have time to explore this._

_Byakuya's raid won't happen for some time._

_Yes, we have time._


	2. Whispers

**Chapter 2: Whispers**

**(Thanks so much to everyone reading and reviewing! My gratitude to reviewers BunnyHopster26 (Here's the first of a few more birthday treats!), Lovise Polaris (You are an evil genius for thinking of this storyline. I am having waaay too much fun with these two!), Kyuumihaira (Heehee! Love is on the way, but first some wicked obsession!), DragonPrincess01 (Wow! That is the highest form of compliment. I am honored that people feel that way about Tetsuya and others of my OC's. I do work hard to make them work within the Bleachverse. You just gave me an all day smile!) and Unsigned Guest (Yeah, they are my guilty little pleasure!) Enjoy the chapter! And don't forget to check out the unedited version on AO3!)**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

_**It's cold again.**_

_**I know this place where I lie, next to the one I love. But the seed that warms me inside is not his, nor is the flavor on my lips. **_

_**His love cannot wash this away.**_

_**Your poison is in my veins, spreading silently, overtaking, and slowly destroying...**_

_**me.**_

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"Are you all right now, Tetsuya-san?" Naoki breathed softly in his dazed cellmate's ear, running his fingers through Tetsuya's sweat-dampened hair, "You've barely spoken since you came back. And you haven't stopped shaking. You are frightening me. Please, watashi no koi, say something!"

Tetsuya tried to move his lips, but they only trembled softly and gave no sound. His voice seemed frozen inside him, and his heart felt empty and chilled. Tears burned in Naoki's brown eyes as he spotted the bruising on his lover's wrists and ankles, and the bite markings around his neck and shoulders.

"I am sorry," he whispered, crying softly, "I wish I could have stopped them from taking you to _him_. I wish I wasn't so weak, Tetsuya-san. Tetsuya-san needs someone strong to protect him from the ones who would hurt him. I am so sorry I can't be that strong, and I can't protect you. I love you, Tetsuya-san! Won't you please say something to me?"

"You there! Naoki-kun!" called one of the guards, rattling the cell door as he unlocked it, "It's your turn to serve in the laundry. Come on."

"Please, sir," Naoki said, remaining on his knees and bowing deeply, "My cellmate is ill. I swear I will do double duty once he is well. Will you please let me take him to the infirmary?"

The guard scowled, but then looked more closely at Tetsuya and nodded.

"Oh, he was with Orochi-san for his first time, ne?" he said, a breath of sympathy in his voice, "Go on, then. I'll find a replacement this once."

"Arigatou," Naoki said respectfully, bowing low again, then helping Tetsuya to his feet and guiding him out of the cell.

The guard moved on, leaving the two to walk to the infirmary alone. Naoki kept his arm around Tetsuya, studying his profile as they walked slowly down the quiet corridor.

"You'll be all right, Tetsuya-san," he promised, "It was like that for me when I came of age. I wasn't with Orochi-sama, but the ones who took me were not gentle at all. I'm sorry, Tetsuya-san, so sorry!"

Still too distressed for words, Tetsuya squeezed Naoki's hand to let him know he had heard. He closed his eyes and let the other young man guide him, trying a they walked, to erase the memories that assaulted his mind. But he couldn't seem to escape the burning feeling inside that had haunted him, ever since Orochi had loosed his seed inside him. And all of the places on his body where the man had touched him, ached and stung naggingly. But, much worse than the actual pain, which he could have managed, was the jolt he felt, remembering how it had been at the end.

_Up until that point, I didn't want any of it. I was scared until then...so frightened. But, something happened just then, when Orochi-sama finally freed me of that device. Nothing was left holding me. I was capable of fighting him. But, instead, I responded to him._

_"Stay with me," he said._

_The words sounded like a request, not an order. They were said more gently. And without even thinking, I obeyed him. I didn't do it that time, because I was scared._

_No._

_When we climaxed together, I was with him of my own free will. I wanted him to give me that pleasure. I lowered myself and even begged him for it. In that one, intense moment, I forgot everything but Orochi-sama. I let him possess me._

_And now, I can't forgive myself._

"Tetsuya-san," Naoki said worriedly, "Tetsuya-san, don't cry! It's going to be all right. The healer will make it stop hurting so much."

_He doesn't understand._

_It isn't the pain in my body, but the guilt in my heart._

_I am so undeserving of you, Naoki. Would you hate me if you knew? But no, someone like you could never hate me. You are not like that man. You are gentle and kind. Your words and your touches never hurt me._

_So, why did my heart betray me like that?_

Tetsuya's mind barely registered the moment when they reached the infirmary, and Naoki began to explain his symptoms to the healer. Their words echoed strangely in Tetsuya's ears, and his mind could not seem to focus. He felt their eyes on him, and heard Naoki speak to him, but couldn't understand anymore. He felt his legs give way beneath him, and the room went suddenly dark.

The darkness swirled around him, so strangely quiet after the echoing words from before. Words did reach him, but the voices changed. Naoki's voice left him, and another sounded, one that made him feel afraid again.

_"Are you afraid?"_

His body went icily cold, and his fevered mind registered Orochi's voice, and the healer's.

_"He seems to have contracted some kind of infection, Orochi-san. And you know that they don't provide me with antibiotics. They would rather just let them live or die on their own."_

Tetsuya wanted to feel angry at the words. The ones who ran the prison were awful, hateful men, who didn't care if the prisoners lived or died. He wanted to hate them back. But even lying in the infirmary, and realizing that he was dying of something that could be simply cured, if they had cared, he couldn't make himself be like that.

_Then, I would be like them._

And he wasn't going to let that happen.

_"I will be back,"_ Orochi's voice said.

Things went dark and quiet again. He heard only intermittent moans, and now and again, a wet cloth cooled his fevered face, and Noaki's voice returned. He began to feel himself drifting, leaving his body and the chill confines of the prison. He knew he was dying, but no longer cared.

_At least I will leave the prison, even if it is by dying._

But just when he felt like he might let go, Orochi's voice reached him again.

_"Stay with me."_

He decided that he must be delirious. He couldn't have heard Orochi asking him not to die. His cousin was a cruel man. His cousin hated him, and wouldn't care if he died.

_"Arigatou, Orochi-san," _the healer's voice said, somewhere in the distance, _"I will begin the infusion immediately._

He felt a tiny pinprick in his arm and flinched, remembering the feel of Orochi's black snakes. He felt them again, sliding over his flushed skin, wrapping around his wrists and ankles and felt their glowing eyes watching him. Something cool and pleasant floated into his veins, stealing away the heat that had seemed to envelop him.

_"Thank you again, Orochi-san,"_ the healer's voice said quietly, "_He was nearly gone, but the antibiotic is stabilizing him now."_

The words repeated themselves in his still spinning mind, and he wondered if he had just imagined them.

_Orochi-sama hates me and looks down on me. _

_He wouldn't..._

Tetsuya's eyelids fluttered, and then his eyes opened and struggled to focus. Strangely, although he was sure that he had heard Naoki's voice only moments before, it was Orochi's eyes he encountered. And they didn't look worried. They were dark and unreadable. Distant.

"Orochi-sama?" he whispered, blinking.

"Go back to sleep," the black-eyed man said shortly, "And keep in mind that you owe me for this. You will repay me when you are well again."

The words made him shiver.

"You tried to leave. But understand, Tetsuya, that you will not do that unless I give you permission. I told you before. You belong to me. You are going to stay with me and serve me. You will not leave me. And you will not even die without my permission. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, Orochi-sama," he whispered, closing his burning eyes.

_Why couldn't I just die?_

Orochi left, then, and Naoki ran into the room and sat down at Tetsuya's side, gripping his hand tightly and kissing him, while he cried in relief.

"Y-you're going to be all right now. You have no idea how scared I was, Tetsuya-san! I almost lost you. I don't know what I would do if you left me like that, watashi no koi!" Naoki said, kissing him and touching his face gently.

"N-naoki!" he moaned sleepily.

"Shh, rest now, okay? I have to go for a while. But, I will be back when it is time for you to be released."

"Naoki, don't go!" he pleaded softly.

"Shh, it's okay. Go back to sleep, Tetsuya-san."

He tried to sleep, but couldn't seem to drop off. Orochi's voice returned to him, haunting and teasing him as he tried to calm enough to rest.

_Stay with me._

_You tried to leave. But understand, Tetsuya, that you will not do that unless I give you permission. I told you before. You belong to me. You are going to stay with me and serve me. You will not leave me. And you will not even die without my permission. Do you understand?_

_You belong to me..._

_You are mine... _

_You will not leave me. And you will not even die without my permission. Do you understand?_

_Keep in mind that you owe me for this. You will repay me when you are well again._

He went weak all over and his heart raced fitfully, remembering.

_He couldn't keep from shaking at the sight of the oddly beautiful, black snakes as they turned their heads and glared hypnotically into his eyes. He wanted to look away, but found himself frozen by those depthless, black orbs, unable to move as Orochi moved his hips, rubbing against Tetsuya's body, which, despite the terror coursing through his veins, was also reacting with surprising vigor._

_"There, you see," Orochi breathed hotly in his ear, "You are afraid, but your body knows it is about to experience something new and earthshakingly intense._

He felt a strong twinge in his loins as he remembered. And even the painful things he remembered, only made that feeling of arousal intensify. He tried to ignore the sensation, to think of Naoki and what real love was supposed to feel like. But the blackness seemed to have taken root inside him. Orochi's words sounded chillingly in his mind as his awakened member hardened and leaked hungrily.

_What is wrong with me?_

_Has the fever returned?_

He felt flushed and sweaty all over, and his loins ached fiercely. He tried to conjure Naoki's gentle voice to shatter the spell, but only Orochi's seemed to reach him.

_You belong to me..._

_You are mine..._

He shivered involuntarily, reeling as he felt again, the rough touches and caresses Orochi had laid upon his body during their coupling. And just the memory reawakened what he had felt before. He shifted uncomfortably, his loins throbbing and his lips whispering his tormentor's name.

"O-orochi-sama..." he whispered dizzily.

He opened his eyes and went cold inside as he encountered something he knew to be a hallucination. But a much as it wasn't real, it still ensnared him.

_Orochi sat at his bedside, glaring down at him through sly, narrowed eyes, his lips smirking as he studied the obvious signs of arousal. Tetsuya's widened eyes locked on his, held there, as though by some unyielding force._

_"What's wrong?" he asked mockingly, "Is there something you want from me, Tetsuya?"_

"N-no!" he moaned feverishly.

_"What a liar you are Tetsuya," he laughed, sliding a hand under the blanket and teasing him with the lightest brush of his hand._

"Stop!"

He let out a frightened sob as he felt again the sleek bodies of Orochi's conjured snakes, sliding along his torso and wrapping around his wrists and ankles.

"Stop! Please stop!" he pleaded, closing his eyes.

But, even with his eyes closed, he still saw them.

_And this time, there were more of them. They seemed to crawl all over him, rubbing along his bare flesh and making his jaw clench to keep from crying out. As much as he feared their stinging bites, his body reacted strongly to the feel of their touch on his skin. His protests disappeared into discomfited moans. Then, Orochi's mocking voice returned to him._

_"Do you understand now? You belong to me. I am inside you, Tetsuya. And if you still question that, then let me make it clear to you."_

Tetsuya's eyes flew open, and he cast his eyes around the room in panic. He found himself alone. But even awake, he could feel the snakes sliding along his skin. Orochi's voice echoed in his ears, and he felt those rough, commanding hands caressing him. He felt a complete loss of control over his body, and quivered as the imagined sensations erupted everywhere. His breath shortened, and his eyes closed against what was happening. And although he hated to feel so controlled, there was no denying the tremors of approaching release, the moans that slipped from between his lips and the way his hands clenched, as though holding on to Orochi.

Of its own accord, his rebelling body shuddered, pleasure flooding it from end to end. At the same moment, his mind fired itself back to that moment in his joining with Orochi, where the restraints were suddenly released, and his body instinctively clung to the person causing his pleasure.

He hated himself for giving in...for letting the man get to him without even being in the room. And when the door opened and Orochi entered the room where he was being treated, Tetsuya lost all control and burst from the bed, darting past him before he could react. He ran wildly through the corridors, not even realizing that he was naked, not caring. All he wanted was to wrap himself tightly in Naoki's arms and forget what had happened. He reached their cell and grabbed the bars tightly with both hands.

"Naoki!" he sobbed, as the guard approached, staring at him in confusion.

"Tetsuya-san!" Naoki gasped, "Tetsuya-san, you are supposed to be in the infirmary! You have been terribly ill. You must...!"

He broke off as Orochi appeared in the corridor and approached Tetsuya from behind.

"You seem to have recovered well enough to run away from me," he said, smirking, "Now, I think it is time that you begin to repay me for saving your wretched life."

"No!" Tetsuya screamed, fighting the arm that wrapped tightly around his waist, "Naoki!"

"Let him go!" Naoki screamed, rattling the bars of their cell, "Tetsuya-san!"

"Get back!" the guard warned him, striking the bars with the small baton he carried.

Naoki stepped back, staring in shock as Tetsuya seemed to go mad, turning in Orochi's arms and screaming and striking blindly at him with his bare hands.

"Don't touch me, you bastard!" Tetsuya howled, his blue eyes flaring, "Let me go!"

Frowning, Orochi grabbed him by the throat and shoved him back against the bars of his cell, shocking his body with pain and stealing the breath from his lungs. The fight drained out of him, and he stood, barely on his feet and shaking so hard he thought he would fall. Orochi glared at him and released him, nearly making him collapse.

"Come with me," he ordered Tetsuya.

Tetsuya remained frozen in place.

Orochi's eyes darkened.

"And bring him too," he said, nodding in Naoki's direction.

The guard moved forward to unlock the cell door, but froze as Tetsuya's hand wrapped around his, and he stepped in the way. Scowling, the guard raised his baton and started to swing it at him, but found it nimbly caught by Orochi. Realizing that there was nothing left he could do, Tetsuya dropped to his knees at Orochi's feet.

"Please," he panted in desperation, "Orochi-sama, I will do anything you ask. But, please do not hurt Naoki. He didn't disobey you. He didn't do anything. It was my fault...all of it!"

Orochi looked from Tetsuya's bowed head, to Naoki, then back again and his lips curved into a cruel smile.

"You are apologizing to me?" he asked, taking the baton from the guard and touching it to Tetsuya's chin, raising his head so their eyes met, "And you think that I will forgive you for running away from me and causing such a scene?"

"I am sorry, Orochi-sama. Please, forgive me. I...I didn't know what I was doing."

"Obviously," Orochi mused, "Well, it seems I am in a mood to be forgiving. Just you, then."

"Hai, Orochi-sama," Tetsuya said, starting to rise.

"Wait," Orochi said, looking up at Naoki as he went on, "Before we go, I want you to show how sorry you are for disobeying me."

Tetsuya shivered as Orochi adjusted his clothing suggestively.

"Go on, then. Do it in front of them," he ordered Tetsuya.

Tetsuya swallowed hard, barely able to make himself move, but loathe to let any harm come to Naoki. He moved forward, avoiding his lover's teary eyes, and knelt in front of Orochi, then quietly began to comply.

"If you do anything else in defiance, I will have that boy executed while you watch."

Tetsuya said nothing more, but obeyed his cousin's order, blushing with embarrassment at doing such a thing in front of Naoki and the flustered guard. He tried to work quickly, to get it over with as soon as possible, but Orochi carefully controlled the pace, making it seem to go on forever. But finally, he captured Tetsuya's face and held him still, staring at Naoki's pale face triumphantly as he reached completion. Tetsuya remained on his knees after, staring silently at the cold stone floor and waiting.

"Come," Orochi said, taking his hand and bringing him to his feet. That was your apology. Now, it is time for your punishment."

"No, please!" begged Naoki, tears running down his cheeks, "He's been so ill! Please don't, Orochi-sama! I will go with you in his place! Please!"

Orochi slipped an arm around Tetsuya and offered him a falsely kind smile.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, cupping his hand around Tetsuya's cheek, "Your friend offers to pay for your disobedience, Tetsuya. What do you say?"

Tetsuya turned back and met Naoki's wounded gaze with regretful eyes.

"I am sorry," he whispered, moving with Orochi as his cousin guided him away.

"Tetsuya-san!" Naoki sobbed, dropping onto his knees, "Tetsuya!"

Orochi led his silent, pale-faced cousin to his bedroom and left him standing in the entry, while he retrieved the blue yukata from the bathroom. He returned to find Tetsuya had simply collapsed onto the floor.

He knelt at his cousin's side, checking his breathing and reiatsu, then sighed in annoyance and wrapped the yukata around him, before lifting him and carrying him to the bed.

"I should have taken that Naoki up on his offer," he muttered as he tucked Tetsuya into his bed, "You're not worth the trouble."

He leaned over Tetsuya, infusing him with calming reiatsu to keep him asleep, then removed his clothes and slipped into a sleeping yukata, before climbing into the bed and coiling himself around his cousin's resting form.

"Get plenty of sleep, Tetsuya," he warned the younger man, even knowing he couldn't hear, "You are going to pay for your defiance."

He buried his face in Tetsuya's soft hair, and soon joined him in sleep.


	3. Little Mistakes

**Chapter 3: Little Mistakes**

**(Thanks so much to Kyuumihaira and Lovise Polaris for their sweet support! :) You guys are great!)**

"I am worried for you, Tetsuya-san," Naoki said softly as the two knelt, pulling weeds, in the small patch of growing vegetables in the prison courtyard, "You seem better than you were, but you have never quite been yourself, after being with that man...with Orochi-sama."

"I don't understand him, Noaki-san," Tetsuya sighed, breathing in the sweet, cool vapors of the green plants and damp soil, "His words are cruel. He always speaks of how we are lesser because we are mixed bloods."

"And yet, it doesn't stop the man from using you for his pleasure," Naoki said in a disgusted tone.

"No," Tetsuya agreed, sighing as he studied the bruises on his wrists, "He becomes aroused when he sees how helpless I am, nearly naked and tied to his bed. He mocks me for being unable to stop whatever he wants to do, and he seems to enjoy making me cry."

"He is a monster," Naoki said, shaking his head.

"Much of the time," Tetsuya agreed, slipping a small, ripe tomato into his mouth while the guard wasn't looking, "But sometimes he does things that make no sense. He has an expensive yukata he makes me wear when I am with him...only when I am with him. And while the other guards here will take prisoners nearly anywhere, sometimes in front of others guards or prisoner, and they will share a prisoner between them, when I am with Orochi-sama, we are only in his bed, and no one is ever allowed to touch me."

Naoki smiled.

"Except when we are alone at night and I touch you."

Tetsuya blushed.

"Yes, except then," he agreed, stealing another small tomato.

"You are very hungry this morning, ne?" Naoki observed, "It is good to see you are able to eat more normally again, after how ill you were."

Tetsuya sighed and frowned down at his hands.

"Yes, but Naoki, I am still wondering. I wonder why Orochi-sama brought medicine to help save me."

"Shh," the brown-eyed youth hissed, looking around, "You aren't supposed to know that. And how do you know you weren't just delirious when you heard it?"

"I wonder also why he kept me in his bed for nearly a week before sending me back to my cell."

"Hmmm," Naoki huffed skeptically, "The man just probably really enjoys tormenting you, and was afraid of having to find another favorite to torture if you died."

"Maybe," Tetsuya said, feeling less than convinced.

"And remember how he made you pay for his inconvenience," Naoki reminded him, making Tetsuya shiver softly, even in the warm sun, "Don't forget that, Tetsuya-san. He wasn't being kind."

"No," Tetsuya agreed, flinching as he remembered, "I don't think Orochi-sama knows what kindness is. It is good for me, then, that my Naoki does."

Naoki slipped an arm around him and stole a kiss.

"I do," he said, nuzzling Tetsuya's cheek, then looking around, "Tetsuya-san, Orochi-sama is away, ne?"

"That is what I heard," Tetsuya whispered back, smiling.

"When the guards look away, let's slip into the bushes, okay? I want to touch Tetsuya-san a bit."

Tetsuya's smile widened, and he nodded.

The two waited until they were sure the guards were not watching, then ducked down in the tall plants and crawled to a bushy corner of the courtyard, where the brush and trees hid their presence. Once out of sight, Naoki pulled Tetsuya to his feet and sought his lips for a bout of warm, penetrating kisses. Their hands slipped underneath each others' poor, torn yukatas and caressed and teased as the two kissed more hungrily.

But soon, kissing and touching didn't feel like it was enough.

"Tetsuya-san, will you make love to me?" Naoki whispered, licking his cellmate's warm, sweet lips, "I want you so much!"

Tetsuya couldn't speak, but blushed and nodded, then leaned back against the stone wall while Naoki opened their yukatas and moved forward to claim him.

They were careful not to make any loud noises, keeping themselves confined to soft, panting breaths and gentle sighs of pleasure. Tetsuya's fingers worked their way into Naoki's brown hair, encouraging him as he explored the lovely, pale skin of Tetsuya's soft throat. He ached inside at the sight of the bruises that Orochi had left behind, and kissed those area tenderly, wishing he could heal them and make them disappear.

"I love you, Tetsuya-san," Noaki whispered, closing his eyes as he was overtaken with pleasure. Tetsuya bit back a moan of completion, watching as Naoki exited his body, and his lover dropped to his knees in front of him. He took his time, slowly savoring the task of licking Tetsuya's flesh clean, then coaxed him down for a heated barrage of finishing kisses.

Still panting softly with exertion. the two watched the nearby guards, then slipped back out into the gardens to continue their task. They stole quiet glances at each other as they worked, and rose and walked side-by-side, back into the cold confines of the prison's interior when the guards called for them.

"Tetsuya-san, you look a little pale," Naoki said softly as they walked towards their cell.

"I don't feel so well," Tetsuya admitted, "My stomach hurts."

"You must have eaten too many berries and tomatoes," Naoki chuckled, "But I will rub your stomach for you when we get to our..."

He broke off as Tetsuya dropped to his knees, grabbing his midsection and crying out in pain.

"What is it!" Naoki cried, dropping to his knees in front of the reeling youth, "Tetsuya-san, are you sick again?"

"I-I don't know! It hurts, Naoki-san!"

He crawled forward to a trash can and heaved several times, expelling the contents of his stomach as Naoki held him and rubbed his back, and the guards watched wordlessly. His stomach empty, Tetsuya leaned against Naoki, and the elder youth held him close and spoke calmly in his ear.

Tetsuya felt the harsh ache in his belly fade, and he managed to get to his feet and start towards his cell again.

"Are you sure that you don't want to see the healer, Tetsuya-san?" Naoki asked in a concerned voice.

"I am all right now," Tetsuya sighed, "I just want to rest."

They had only gone a few steps more, when Tetsuya simply dropped in his tracks, instantly losing consciousness.

"Tetsuya-san!" Naoki cried.

Tetsuya descended into quiet darkness, barely registering when his body was lifted and carried to the infirmary. He heard soft voices, and Naoki crying and saying he had to go, then he heard the voices of the healer and one of the guards.

_"Shouldn't we wait for Orochi-san to return?" the healer asked, "He doesn't allow anyone to touch this one. He might have different orders..."_

_"He's not going to allow this half-blood trash to pollute the Kuchiki bloodline with a bastard child," the guard said tersely, "Get rid of it."_

Realization spread through Tetsuya's body, bringing him fully awake as the healer's hands touched him to begin to prepare him for the procedure.

"No!" he screamed, surging out of the bed and backing away as the healer watched with sad eyes, and the dour-faced guard advanced on him, "No, don't touch me! Orochi-san won't let you touch me! You know that!"

"Take it easy, now," the guard cautioned him, "You don't want me to have to hurt you, kid. Just behave yourself and lie down. It will be over with quickly, and it won't hurt you."

"I don't care about that!" Tetsuya cried, shrinking into the corner of the room as the guard came closer, "Don't hurt my baby!"

"Ah, you overheard," the guard said, frowning, "But, you know that prisoners aren't allowed to have children by nobles in here. It's the rules."

"It's not Orochi-sama's!" Tetsuya sobbed, "I was with Naoki-san! I swear it! It's not Orochi-sama's! Please...please don't...!"

The guard took hold of his wrist, but Tetsuya twisted away and started to run blindly. Pounding feet followed as he burst out of the infirmary and into the maze of corridors. A moment later, the prison alarms began to shriek, making his heart pound wildly as he sought someplace, anyplace to hide from the guards.

He rounded a corner and ran headlong into a group that was responding to the alert, then out of control, kicking and screaming wildly, scratching and biting, clawing and trying desperately to break free. But, finally, a hard shock of kido stunned him, and he was lifted and hauled back to the infirmary.

Tears ran down his face in streams as the guards strapped him securely to the table and nodded to the healer to proceed. The healer moved in close and touched his face gently.

"I am sorry," he whispered, "I can't stop what is going to happen. If Orochi-san was here, he might..."

He paused and shook his head sadly.

"But, no. His subfamily is known for not allowing mixed bloods to be born into their group."

"It's not Orochi-sama's," Tetsuya moaned, near incoherently, "I was w-with Naoki-san."

"Shh," said the healer, "I checked to be sure. This is Orochi-san's baby. Trust me, Tetsuya-san, I was thorough. And truly, the kind of man he is, it is better this way. Rest, now."

"No...n-no, please don't!" Tetsuya sobbed, struggling against the restraints until the healer sent a heavy throb of kido through him to steal away his consciousness.

Tetsuya sank into an ocean of darkness, his mind screaming as he sensed the tiny bit of life inside him and tried to hold on to it. But, sedated as he was, he couldn't fight what was happening, and slowly felt the little pulse of life weaken and fade.

He laid alone, then, in heavy blackness, not even able to emerge as the kido around him faded and the healer tried to rouse him.

"Forget about that," the guard said, dragging the senseless prisoner off of the bed and ignoring the fact that he couldn't even stand, "He attacked us, and he tried to escape. He goes into the pit."

"He reacted because he heard that we were going to kill his child," the healer objected, "Anyone would have done the same. He only fought to protect his child. And he wasn't trying to escape, but to hide from you, so that..."

"It doesn't matter," the guard said, clenching Tetsuya's limp body by the tie at his waist and dragging him away, "The rules are the rules. He goes into the pit."

"Damn..." the healer sighed, biting at his lips and shaking his head, "I know they are prisoners, but this is cruel..."

Tetsuya felt nothing as his unresponsive body was dropped into the small, freezing confines of the isolation pits, and a large, wooden door was closed over him. There was barely space to move in the coffin-like chamber, but he couldn't move anyway. His body refused to move at all as grief froze him in place, stilling everything but the most basic of his systems. He made no sound, his cries now only sounding on the inside as he reeled inwardly, trying to cope with the loss of his child.

_It doesn't matter that it was Orochi-sama's child too. A baby is innocent. Babies are not born hateful and cruel. They learn to be that way, taught by the cruelty of others. I wouldn't have let the cruelty of this place make my child like them. No, he...or she would have learned to be gentle, like Naoki and me. My child wouldn't be anything like Orochi-sama and those monsters who keep us here. He might have Orochi-sama's great strength, but he would have my heart, so that he would never hurt anyone who hadn't done harm to him._

_Yes, my child would have been beautiful..._

_My baby..._

_My baby..._

_My baby..._

_Tetsuya's mind replayed the words endlessly as he sank into what seemed an endless night. And as dark as it was, the damage to his heart was even darker._

XXXXXXXXXX

Naoki didn't look up as footsteps approached his cell, but remained in the back corner of the cell, sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees and crying softly. The footsteps stopped outside the bars, and Orochi's angry voice sounded.

"You there, Naoki. Where is Tetsuya?"

Naoki looked up then, through shattered eyes, and Orochi froze, staring at him.

"Where is Tetsuya?" he demanded, more stridently, "Tell me now!"

"Th-the infirmary?" Naoki said uncertainly.

"What happened? Did he become ill again?"

"H-he said that his stomach hurt and he threw up a lot," Naoki managed, "I took him to the infirmary, and the healer...he...he said that Tetsuya-san was..."

Orochi scowled impatiently.

"They said he was what? Hurry, boy, I don't have all day!"

"The healer said he was p-pregnant," Naoki said shakenly, "Tetsuya-san is...But I don't know what happened. They never brought him back. It's been five days!"

Orochi turned without listening anymore, and strode quickly to the infirmary, sliding to a stop as he reached the place and observed the row of empty beds.

"Nobu," he shouted at the healer, "Where is Tetsuya? I heard that he was brought here."

"He freaked out when the healer discovered he was pregnant and had to abort it," reported a guard, who had stepped into the room behind him, "He fought with a group of us and tried to escape, so we subdued him and had the healer do the procedure, then I took him down to the pit."

Orochi turned suddenly and grabbed the guard by the throat, shoving him back against the wall and glaring darkly into his eyes.

"You...did what, Hisoka?" he asked in an icily calm voice.

"It's standing orders," the guard said, his face paling, "The prisoners aren't allowed to bear children, especially more of their polluted kind! You know that!"

"What I _know,_ Orochi growled, tightening his hand until the guard began to struggle and make choking sounds, "is that I left orders that Tetsuya is never to be _touched_ without my leave. You _knew _that."

"Augh! Y-you shouldn't have been playing with him like you do, anyway!" Hisoka objected, "We're just supposed to..."

Orochi's eyes flashed dangerously, and he tightened his hand until the guard could no longer speak.

_"You_ are supposed to obey the orders of your superiors. And I am one of them. I made it clear, my cousin's fate is in my hands, and mine alone! No one touches Tetsuya unless I order it!"

"B-bastard, let go!" gasped Hisoka, gripping Orochi's hand, "Th-the...prison master will hear of this! I swear you will be...!"

He made a sudden, guttural sound of dismay and went silent as Orochi's free hand moved with blinding speed and blood erupted between the two men. Orochi watched with dead-calm eyes as he released the dying guard and he slumped to the floor.

"_No one_ touches what is mine," Orochi said coldly, watching as the man's body twitched several times, then fell still.

Hearing the disturbance, the healer ran into the room and slid to a stop, staring from the bloodstained Orochi to the dead guard on the floor.

"Clean that up," Orochi told the shocked healer, "And if you want to live, then you will never undertake a medical procedure on my cousin without my direct authorization again!"

"H-hai, Orochi-san!" the healer answered in a nearly panicked tone as Orochi turned and left the infirmary.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya laid in the blackness, his mind oddly quiet, relieved at the distance he now had from his life in the prison. It might be dark and cold where he rested, but his body had long ago become numb to the pain he had felt before. And locked away from everything, he could subdue the ache in his heart and make his mind quiet.

_They call the pit the ultimate punishment. It is the most feared of punishments for us. But...this place is not frightening to me. Here, in the midst of nothingness, I can erase everything. Everything has disappeared, and all that is left is darkness and quiet...the slow inhale and exhale of breath. Breathing is simple. So much simpler than living out there._

_Oh please, just let me forget..._

_I want to forget..._

_Let me disappear into this endless night and forget everything..._

He would have cried out in horror, had he the strength, as the wooden door over his body suddenly opened, and light came flooding back in. His mouth opened in a soundless scream, and the light that came in blinded him, so that all that registered was the hiss of Orochi's furious voice, and the mingled scents of sakura and fine leather that always hung in the air around Orochi.

_Orochi-sama is here?_

_Why would he come here?_

_Why does he always come back?_

_Why does he save me, time after time?_

_Does he not understand?_

_This time, I don't want to be saved..._

He caught another scent, coppery and disturbingly familiar.

_Blood?_

_Is Orochi-sama bleeding?_

_Or is that me?_

_What is happening?_

_Why do I feel so much pain again?_

Tetsuya's voice finally returned, and he screamed in agony as Orochi's arms lifted him out of the small chamber and brought his head to rest on a strong, warm shoulder.

"Come with me," Orochi said, still in that deadly, furious voice, "And be quiet."

Tetsuya couldn't answer, but his slender fingers wound themselves into Orochi's shirt, and he moaned softly as he was carried out of the icy darkness. The cellblocks they passed through seemed oddly warm, though it registered with Tetsuya that it must be that the pit was just even colder than their usual housing.

But full warmth didn't return until he was lying in Orochi's bed and his cousin handed him a cup of hot tea.

"Orochi-sama," he said suddenly, making the black-eyed man stare at him questioningly, "Tell me something."

Orochi continued to look back at him wordlessly.

"Orochi-sama hates mixed-bloods. Orochi-sama hates me. Tell me...did Orochi-sama hate our child too?"

The next thing Tetsuya knew, the tea had been taken from his hand and he was falling back into darkness, though this time, one that was far less cold.

"You really are stupid sometimes," Orochi's voice whispered, "You don't understand anything at all, do you?"


	4. Under My Skin

**Chapter 4: Under My Skin**

**(Happy Birthday, Tetsuya! And here's a lovely 'gift' for you, my dear. Enjoy the heat! Love Spunky Ah, yes! And thanks to Lovise Polaris for continuing to encourage me in the writing of this one!)**

"Why did you summon me here?" Orochi asked in a low, confrontational tone, "It is dangerous. We could be seen and overheard. And, in any case, as the one whose hand actually took my child's life, you should be wary of me, don't you think?"

The healer flinched at the intensity of the other man's reiatsu, but stood his ground stubbornly.

"You mean, your 'never meant to be,' mixed blood abomination?" he asked in a low hiss, "Don't act as though you actually cared about Tetsuya-san or the child he carried. You forget. I _know_ exactly what you have done to that young man. You forget who has to heal him after your time with him. I don't know why Byakuya-sama even trusts you. Your family has a long reputation for hating the mixed bloods."

"Precisely why I was accepted here. I have a background that suggests my views are like those of the ones here."

"Aren't they?"

"To some extent, perhaps. I do think that the mixed bloods need to understand their place, but I do not extend that belief to thinking that they should be killed."

"Then, you would have protected your child with Tetsuya? Perhaps to the detriment of Byakuya-sama's plans? That is very reckless of you."

"Shut up and get to the point. Why did you call me here?"

"Two reasons," the healer said softly, "First, the prison master has ordered that Tetsuya is to be executed tomorrow."

Orochi's eyes darkened.

"Bastard..." he hissed softly, "But it is not completely unexpected. Females and the rare breeder males like him are routinely executed. I believe that Tetsuya only escaped that because he was not identified as being capable of being used as a breeder. Sometimes they are not identified until the first successful gestation."

"There is more," the healer said warningly, The order was given confidentially. You know what that means."

"He is suspicious of me," Orochi growled, "He wants to provoke me. Damn..."

"The second thing I summoned you to tell you is that the raid will happen in the morning."

"Cutting it rather close for Tetsuya, ne?" the black-eyed shinigami said, frowning as he considered what to do.

"I would suggest going to him and taking him to your room tonight. We do not know when the order will be carried out. If it happens before the raid..."

"Yes. Go on, now. I don't want us to be seen."

Orochi watched with angry, glinting eyes as the healer left, then turned back and headed into the cellblock where Tetsuya was being held. He strode past the guards on duty and came to Tetsuya and Naoki's cell.

"Orochi-san," the guard said, frowning, "We have orders to remove Tetsuya for execution at sunrise. I am afraid that you cannot remove him from our sight."

"Oh, now," Orochi said, smirking, "You wouldn't deny me one last dance with my prettiest little love-slave before he leaves us, ne? I might remind you that you owe me, Hotaka. Remember?"

The guard let out an annoyed breath, but relented.

"Fine, then, take him with you. But have him back before the morning group is taken or we'll both be executed with him."

"Right," Orochi sighed off-handedly.

He met Tetsuya's wide, teary eyes coldly.

"Stand straighter, half-blood," he said disapprovingly, "You may be marked for death, but you are, in fact, part Kuchiki. And that means that even if you die, you will do so proudly. Now, come with me."

Tetsuya turned back for a moment, meeting Naoki for a tearful parting embrace. Orochi bit his lip gently, considering.

"You," he said gruffly, "Naoki. You come too."

Tetsuya's eyes widened and he started to object, but held himself back carefully, noting the oddness in Orochi's behavior. He held Naoki's hand tightly and the two exited the cell and followed Orochi out of the cellblock. None of the three spoke as they passed through the quiet hallways, heading for the officers' quarters. But, Tetsuya could no longer contain himself when Orochi turned them, not towards his own chambers, but into a dark hallway.

"Orochi-sama?"

Orochi shoved him back against the wall, glaring down into his eyes.

"Be quiet!" he hissed, "Or do you really want to be executed, Tetsuya?"

"You are...protecting me?" Tetsuya said in the barest whisper, "Orochi-sama, why? And why are you protecting Naoki?"

"Shut up," Orochi said, touching a hidden place in the wall and opening up a hidden passageway, "In here."

Tetsuya and Naoki stepped into the dark passage, then caught their breath sharply as the doorway closed, leaving them in darkness. Orochi whispered a soft incantation, and a kido light rose around his hand. The two prisoners followed closely behind him as he led them along the black, interior corridor.

"Wh-what is this place, Orochi-sama?" Tetsuya whispered breathlessly, "Where are you taking us?"

"We can't leave the fortress," Orochi said softly, "There are too many guards. I am going to position the two of you near the front gates. We will remain concealed for tonight, and when I open the way, you will run for safety with Byakuya's invading forces."

Tetsuya's and Naoki's eyes widened.

"The raid!" Naoki whispered, "It is happening soon?"

"Yes," Orochi told them, leading them out of the passage they were in, and into another, "I would have preferred not to make any suspicious moves now, but the prison master was already showing suspicion, and the order for your execution was as much a challenge to me as a strike against you."

"But, why?" asked Tetsuya, "Why would you care for a moment what happens to me now? The baby is gone, Orochi-sama."

"I know that," Orochi said shortly, "But there are two reasons to protect you. The first is that Byakuya has ordered me to personally see to your survival."

"What? Really? Why?" Tetsuya asked, looking confused.

"You ask too many questions. Ask him, if you survive. But in any case, he wants you to survive."

"And what is the other reason?" the blue-eyed prisoner asked softly.

Orochi's eyes met his quietly for a moment.

"Because you belong to me," he said, turning away, "And no one has the right to take what is mine. Just remember that when you reach safety."

Tetsuya swallowed hard and nodded. Orochi led the two to a small, hidden room that bore tiny openings in the wall, allowing them to view the area of the front gates. He removed two power limiters and placed one on each prisoner's wrist.

"What are you doing?" Tetsuya asked.

"You have never used your shinigami powers, ne?" he said shortly, "If I just release the seal on your powers, you would likely panic and damage yourself in the attempt to use them. This will allow you to use the simple attacks and defenses I know you have seen the guards use numerous times. It will allow your zanpakutous to assist you, even if you cannot yet connect with them."

"It will also make us easy to subdue once we are free and you want to gain control over us," Naoki concluded, meeting Orochi's eyes solemnly.

"That too," Orochi admitted, smirking, "But there really is no choice. You are not familiar with your powers, so you could very well endanger yourselves and the ones coming to your rescue. Your other option is to return to your cells and either be executed before the raid or be killed by the guards, once the fortress is aware of Byakuya's assault."

"I suppose we have no choice, then," Tetsuya said, squeezing Naoki's hand in warning, "We will do as you say, Orochi-sama."

"Good," Orochi said, turning back towards the chamber door.

"Orochi-san," Tetsuya said softly, stopping his cousin, "Why are you going out there? Isn't the prison master already suspicious? Why would you take a chance like that?"

He caught his breath softly at the look Orochi gave him.

"Are you worried, Cousin?" he asked in a mocking tone, "I am touched, of course. But I want to take steps to make sure that the prison master does not survive."

Tetsuya stared at him questioningly and Orochi let out an amused chuckle.

"Do you really need to ask?" he said, looking meaningfully at the blue-eyed prisoner, "He was responsible for the order to terminate all mixed blood pregnancies, and he ordered your death. Your fate, and the fate of any child we made was rightfully in my hands. He interfered with that, and he is going to die painfully for that."

Tetsuya shivered softly under Orochi's glaring eyes.

"Any more useless questions?"

"N-no," Tetsuya answered hesitantly, "But...I wish that you would not go."

"Why is that?" Orochi asked, glancing at Naoki, "Don't you want to be alone with Naoki?"

"I..."

"Yes, I have been aware all along that you two have been involved, and before you ask, I allowed it so that you would have someone to watch over you when I wasn't there. If I had had a problem with it, I wouldn't have allowed it. So, go on and have your fun. Just, be quiet about it."

He turned away again, but was again stopped by Tetsuya's voice.

"Orochi-sama, please..."

He struggled to think, biting at his lips.

"Y-you are powerful and we are not. Our chances of survival are better if we are with you."

Orochi's eyes narrowed and he laughed softly.

"You really don't want me to go?" he asked coyly, "Not even to make the man most responsible for the death of our baby pay with his life? And I have been awful to you. Everyone here would point that out to you. Are you really that concerned I won't come back? And if I don't, you still have your Naoki, no? Isn't he enough for you?"

Tetsuya's eyes widened, and he took a wary step back as Orochi approached him. Orochi slid a hand under his chin and raised his eyes, so their eyes met directly.

"Do you need us both to feed your insatiable desires, Tetsuya?"

"N-no, I...!"

Orochi pushed him back against Naoki, pinning him between the two and trapping Naoki against the wall as he plunged into Tetsuya's protesting mouth and plundered it hungrily.

"Very well, then," he said, fixing Tetsuya in place between the two, "Naoki and I will make sure you are well-fed before I go."

He turned his gaze on Naoki, making the young man bite at his lips nervously.

"Undress him."

"Y-yes, Orochi-sama," Naoki said reluctantly, slowly reaching for the tie at Tetsuya's waist.

"Hurry up, you," the black-eyed noble hissed softly, "Don't keep him waiting. Tetsuya is terribly hungry, ne?"

"I...am not so..."

"Oh, but you are," Orochi growled in his ear, "But don't worry. Naoki and I will see to that. We will not leave you neglected."

He dove into Tetsuya's protesting mouth again, forcing his tongue deep inside and savoring him, as his hands roamed over the pretty, white flesh that Naoki had bared.

"Prepare him," Orochi ordered, reaching down between his and Tetsuya's bodies to where their thickened members rubbed together.

He captured the two in a strong hand and stroked them roughly as the two continued to kiss. Behind Tetsuya, Naoki kept his eyes carefully lowered, hiding his disgust at the other man's treatment of his lover.

"You needn't be so cautious," Orochi muttered impatiently, "He is well-used. Enter him from behind."

"N-no!" Tetsuya panted, "Orochi-sama, stop! This is...!"

Tetsuya reeled as Orochi's hand struck his face, then sank into his hair and pulled his head back roughly.

"You do what I tell you to do, half-blood!" he hissed, ignoring Naoki's instant protest, "Now, Naoki, before I lose my patience and hurt both of you!"

"Ah! Yes, Orochi-sama," Naoki said quickly, pressing forward.

Tetsuya gave a pained moan as Naoki's body joined with his, then he cried out sharply as Orochi's fingers invaded him as well.

"No! Please, stop, I can't!" Tetsuya pleaded

"Orochi-sama," Naoki began.

"Shut up, both of you!" Orochi snapped, busying Tetsuya's moaning lips with fierce, biting kisses.

Naoki's hands found Tetsuya's and squeezed them supportively, and his gentle voice sounded in the younger man's ear.

"I'm sorry," he mouthed, barely audibly, "It will be over soon, Tetsuya. He will leave and the raid will come, then we can go to Byakuya-sama and make sure that man never reaches you again. Byakuya-sama will protect us. Have faith."

Tetsuya couldn't answer, but squeezed Naoki's hands gently in reply as Orochi moved into position and began to enter him as well. Tetsuya stiffened, groaning and panting. To his surprise, Orochi slowed and entered carefully, before pressing forward again and glaring down into Tetsuya's rounded eyes.

"Are you full enough now?" Orochi panted almost dizzily against his lips, his black eyes widened and his own body shaking with anticipation as he met Naoki's eyes again, "_Move_!"

Tetsuya bit back a howl of protest, moaning loudly at the first of their movements, then released a shuddering cry and gripped Orochi's strong shoulders tightly as he and Naoki alternated their motions. His legs wrapped reflexively around Orochi's tensed torso, and as Orochi's mouth found his again, both were surprised at the ferocity in Tetsuya's return kisses. Orochi's hands slid down his sweat-slicked, trembling body, caressing firmly, as the intensity of his glare softened.

_You are...enjoying this too?_

_Truly?_

He devoured Tetsuya's mouth with renewed hunger, losing his breath at the very thought.

_Tetsuya, you are..._

His thoughts disappeared into a hard throb of pleasure as he climaxed, making Tetsuya gasp at the blinding heat, then howl in climax as Naoki's release began as well.

Orochi kept the two prisoners trapped against the wall as Tetsuya's head fell onto his shoulder and his legs went weak. He felt a soft jolt inside as he realized that his cousin had let go of Naoki's hands, and was clenching the front of Orochi's guard uniform. Tetsuya's body trembled uncontrollably, and when Orochi finally stepped back, he started to slide to the floor, and was only stopped when Naoki's hands captured him, mid-fall. He could barely lift his head and Orochi's parting words to them echoed strangely in his ears.

"I hope you are satisfied now, Cousin," he laughed softly, setting his clothes back in place, "I will be back. Just be prepared. When you see that the raid has begun, you run for the gates, whether I have returned yet or not."

Tetsuya shivered, and buried his face in Naoki's shoulder as his cellmate lifted him and carried him to a nearby sofa.

"Bastard!" Naoki hissed angrily as Orochi left the room, "Are you all right, Tetsuya?"

Tetsuya shivered with memory, a deep flush roaring across his face at what they had done.

_I am shameless._

_A disgrace._

_Some part of me...enjoyed that!_

_And that same part is scared he'll die._

_What is wrong with me?_

"Tetsuya?" Naoki said softly, brushing the hairs away from his sweaty face.

"I am...all right," he assured Naoki.

But some part of him wondered.

_Am I really?_

_What has Orochi-sama done to me?_


	5. Never to Escape

**Chapter 5: Never to Escape**

**(Thanks to Kyuumihaira (so glad you like them together! They are unusual, but they are slowly beginning to really love each other. But Orochi has to learn what true love is, before he can really appreciate their bond. I am sure that Tetsuya can show him!), Guest (You've got it! Here's more!), MissLilly2012 (And the spice will be back in full force next chapter. There will be a time skip and an odd occurrence that makes Tetsuya question his feelings about his cousin.), Mintakka Alphecca (Say no more! Here's more to love, and next chapter will be sizzling with sexual tension!), and Lovise Polaris (Thanks so much for the nudge to finish this chapter! I promise the next will be along soon!) Enjoy the chapter! Love, Spunky)**

Tetsuya huddled close to Naoki's thin body, grateful for the comfort of the soft, warm bed in the room where Orochi had left them. They exchanged slow, gentle kisses, wanting to sleep, but far too excited and anxious as they contemplated their freedom.

"Where will you go?" Tetsuya asked softly, "Do you have any relatives outside of the prison who might help you?"

"I might, but I'll not go to them," the older youth said, shaking his head, "It is clear enough that they don't want me with them, so I will go to the Rukongai. I am sure that it will be much better than being locked in a cell. I will have freedom there. I will be able to walk wherever I want to and breathe fresh air. I suppose I will have to forage for food until I find a way to support myself, but it will still be better than this place."

He made a line of kisses along Tetsuya's throat.

"Where will you go? Will you go to Byakuya-sama's family? You are a Kuchiki, and Byakuya obviously wants the mixed bloods to be treated more fairly. You could go to him."

"But, why would I do that?" Tetsuya asked, nuzzling deeper into Naoki's gentle embrace, "I want to be with you. Wherever you go, I will go as well. Are you saying that you don't want me to go with you, Naoki?"

"Oh...no, not at all!" Naoki said, shaking his head fervently, "It is just that it seems the Kuchiki family might be welcoming to you, and I thought that if that was so, Tetsuya-san would want to know his family."

"It's not so important to me," Tetsuya sighed, "Beyond showing my gratitude to Byakuya-sama for coming to free us, I don't feel a connection to them. And besides..."

He looked back at the door with a worried expression.

"Orochi-sama is going to be there. You heard what he said, Noaki. He wants to recapture us. I am sure he will want us to continue serving him, and I don't want to gain my freedom, only to become his slave."

"You must be cautious of him," Naoki agreed, "He very much enjoyed having you serve him, and he performed such indecencies upon you. He is so obsessed with you as to make him quite reckless."

"I don't understand," Tetsuya said, frowning, "What do you mean?"

"Tetsuya-san is the reason why he has taken such a dangerous chance to return to slay the prison master."

"The prison master troubled him."

"The prison master ordered both the abortion of your and Orochi's child and your execution."

"I don't know why he made so much of our child," Tetsuya said sadly, "It is clear that he looks down on us mixed bloods. Why would he choose, then, to make one with me?"

Tears came to his eyes as he remembered again, the loss of his connection with the tiny, precious little life.

"The only one I want to make a baby with is Naoki," Tetsuya said firmly, "When we leave here, wherever we go, I will marry Naoki and have his child. We will make our own family and Orochi will not find us and torment us anymore."

Naoki smiled and kissed him again.

"That is a lovely dream for our future, Tetsuya-san. I think that will be my dream too."

"We know how to make things grow, so we could begin by finding a place to grow things, some to eat and some to sell so that we could someday have a house where there are lots of trees and a river."

"You make it sound wonderful, Tetsuya-san. I would be happy to share a life like that with you."

"We will, then," Tetsuya resolved, "Once we are free, we will."

Naoki smiled and nuzzled against his cheek, his breath warming Tetsuya's earlobe. He placed slow. sleepy kisses along the blue-eyed youth's throat and slipped his hands beneath Tetsuya's yukata to caress his warm genitals. Tetsuya met Naoki's lips hungrily, and his hands returned the gentle touches his lover gave him. Naoki teased Tetsuya's entrance very lightly, giving him a sympathetic look as the younger boy winced and caught his breath.

"I am sorry, Tetsuya-san," Naoki whispered, "Orochi-sama and I hurt you before, ne?"

"Only a little," Tetsuya assured him, "And besides, I want to be with you now."

"Then, we will make love," Naoki whispered, but this time, Tetsuya-san will take me."

Tetsuya bit his lip gently, his smile fading slightly.

"What is it?" Naoki asked.

Tetsuya lowered his eyes.

"It is nothing very important," he confessed, "It is just that to do that makes me worry I will hurt you, and I don't ever want to hurt you, Naoki."

"You won't hurt me," Naoki laughed, spreading his thighs and coaxing Tetsuya into settling on top of him.

He looked quietly and affectionately up into his lover's pretty, sapphire eyes.

"I am truly happy, Tetsuya-san," he whispered, smiling contentedly as he felt their bodies join, "Being anywhere with you makes me so happy inside that I forget everything else!"

"Being with Naoki makes me that happy too," Tetsuya whispered, moving his hips and watching the pleasure unfold slowly on Naoki's smiling face, "I love you."

"I love you too," Naoki moaned, his breaths quickening as their pleasure increased and began to overwhelm them.

They let themselves be overtaken, still looking deeply into each other's eyes, then fell into a contented sleep, forgetting all else but the wonderful feeling of being together and not locked away in their cell. Nothing moved but their chests rising and falling as they breathed, and the minutes counted down until the sound of the prison's alarms brought them awake again.

"Come quickly!" Naoki said, pulling Tetsuya to his feet and leading him down to the escape door that Orochi had shown them.

They peered out the hidden opening, watching until the sounds of fighting rose up nearby, and they spotted the incoming fighters.

"There he is!" Naoki hissed excitedly, "Over there! That is Byakuya-sama!"

"Are you sure?" Tetsuya whispered back.

"Yes, I saw a picture of him once while I was in one of the guard's rooms," the elder youth explained, "Come, Tetsuya, and stay close to me!"

They slipped out of the tower and moved into the brush, carefully avoiding the guards who had been distracted with fighting. Their bare feet made no sound as they hurried along, honing in on where their rescuers battled to reach them. They reached the end of the line of brush and peeked out, studying the movement of the fighters, and trying to discern the safest path.

"There doesn't seem to be anything we can do now, but run for him and don't stop," Naoki said softly, "Once you start running, you must keep running, no matter what happens."

Tetsuya nodded, his face paling as he observed the fighters.

"Come now! Run, Tetsuya-san!"

The two broke into a sprint, angling as far away from the fighting as they could and making no sound as they fled. Tetsuya fixed his eyes on the young noble prince, and headed towards him as fast as his thin legs could carry him. He caught his breath in surprise as Byakuya's eyes came to rest on them, and the Kuchiki heir flash stepped quickly in their direction.

"Get down!" he warned them, firing a heavy volley of kido over their heads.

Tetsuya felt the roar of a great explosion as one of the guards' attacks struck too close to them, then Naoki's body wrapped around him as both were taken off their feet and thrown to the ground. They crashed down onto the unforgiving ground, and for a moment, everything went black and quiet.

Tetsuya felt strong arms pull him free of Naoki, and he reached out frantically for the other boy.

"N-naoki!" he sobbed, "Wait!"

The arms around him tightened reassuringly, and the person holding him turned him away from the sight of the still, silent form that laid on the ground behind them.

"Sadao," the prince's voice said solemnly.

"I am sorry, Byakuya-sama," the elder man said sadly, "He is gone."

"N-no! Naoki!" Tetsuya cried, "He...!"

"He saved your life," Byakuya's voice whispered in Tetsuya's ear, "He pulled you down and protected you, and that is why you are alive."

Tetsuya started to object, but was stopped as another group of guards attacked. The Kuchiki heir set Tetsuya on his feet and ordered him back, but Tetsuya could only stare and feel tears run down his face as Sadao lifted Naoki's unmoving body and started towards him. A sudden motion behind Sadao made Tetsuya's heart shiver inside him. He spotted a wild-eyed guard, running at his rescuer, raising his hands to attack him.

Anger welled up inside him and he felt a roar of power inside him that exploded from his body and swallowed up the attacking guard. Several more appeared and flew at him, their weapons slashing and kido firing from their hands, and Tetsuya was thrown off his feet again as Sadao raced towards him.

A sudden movement off to his side, caught Tetsuya's attention, as Orochi appeared, and he could see that his cousin was limping badly.

"Get down, you fool!" Orochi shouted, firing a heavy blast of kido in front of him, as several more guards attacked.

Two men rose up suddenly in front of him, and Tetsuya felt the air go out of his lungs as he saw their swords sweep down in his direction. An odd, animal's squeal sounded, and blue light flashed in front of Tetsuya's eyes as the animal who had made the sound appeared as though from thin air and leveled the guards with a shattering blast of what looked to be ice blades. Tetsuya screamed in pain, power blazing through his thin body and sending him crashing to the ground as Orochi landed next to him.

"What was that!" Sadao panted, staring at the creature.

The last thing Tetsuya saw as he lost consciousness was the shape of a tall, black stallion.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya rose out of the fog of deep sleep and could feel that he had been healed, bathed and dressed in a clean yukata and laid in the softest, most comfortable bed he had ever lain in. He couldn't move, even to open his eyes, but the voices around him were reassuringly calm and gentle.

"He is beginning to regain consciousness," Tetsuya heard a soft, male voice say, "He will still be somewhat senseless for a while, but that is probably best, because of the damage done to his spirit centers when his powers came on so suddenly. Will you explain again what you saw, Byakuya-sama?"

"There was a flash of blue light around him, and then the stallion appeared in front of him and killed the attacking guards."

"And then?"

"The boy collapsed and lost consciousness. The horse stood over him, guarding him. We had a difficult time calming him so that we could treat the boy's injuries."

"Did he have any lucid moments?"

"He managed to tell me that his name is Kuchiki Tetsuya. I found him listed in the prison's system as the son of Kuchikis Takao and Kiko. Takao was my father's cousin. They were like brothers, before Takao and Kiko mysteriously disappeared. I had hoped to find them, but Takao was executed long ago and Kiko succumbed to illness several years ago. I heard from my father that Kiko was with child when she disappeared, so I sent Orochi in with orders to find and protect Tetsuya until we could free the prisoners."

_Orochi-sama was sent...to protect me?_

_But he was so cruel!_

_Still, he did make sure the other guards did not touch me. And he said that he wanted Naoki to watch over me. He brought medicine when I was ill and he came for me when they took my baby and locked me in the pit. He made sure that I was not executed and I saw he had been hurt when he went to confront the prison master._

_I don't understand him._

_I don't understand him at all._

_Did Orochi-sama love or hate me? Or did he only protect me because he was given orders?_

"But you say that there is evidence this boy was abused?" Byakuya's voice went on.

"Yes. He was not so much physically abused, but he was used sexually. There are signs that maybe some time ago it was forced, but although he seemed to have had sexual relations recently, it was consensual."

"Or perhaps he just stopped fighting it," Byakuya sighed, "But he is safe now and I will not let him be harmed again...by anyone."

There was a long silence, then Byakuya's voice sounded again.

"Is there an indication of who it was he was with?"

"He was with the deceased boy, whom you had brought back here and prepared for burial. And he was also with another man, but one who knew how to protect his identity. The reiatsu markers were obcured."

"So, we have no proof," Byakuya said in a disgusted tone, "I feel responsible in that I sent him. But we weren't able to get anyone else close to the boy."

"Well, he did keep the boy alive, and he is going to be all right with rest and good care. He has the capacity to become powerful, if trained properly."

"I will see to that," Byakuya said firmly, "I will see that no one will abuse him ever again!"

"I am just sorry that he and the others who escaped will not have proper justice."

"Well, we may not be able to convict the ones who tormented them, but they are free now."

Tetsuya slipped back into a haze, drifting in and out of awareness and uncertain how many days passed. He was aware of the coming and going of the soft spoken clan healer, Michio, and the young prince, Byakuya who visited often. From time to time, he felt a darker, more disquieting presence, one that on the one hand, repulsed him, but on the other, held a deep, profound ability to excite his senses. And he heard Orochi's voice, though he couldn't tell if it was real or imagined.

"You are not to speak of what happened between us in the prison," he warned Tetsuya, "There will be no evidence of it ever found, so no one will believe you. You will say nothing of it. I cannot take you from him now. He has too many protections around you. But...we will be together again, Tetsuya. We will. It is only a matter of time."

"What are you doing in here?" Byakuya's voice said, breaking into Tetsuya's reverie.

Tetsuya's eyelids fluttered and his eyes slowly opened. He blinked several times and found Byakuya standing in the doorway and Orochi kneeling next to him.

"I was only visiting him. I was responsible for watching over him in the prison. I wondered..."

"You wondered if he had said anything," Byakuya said darkly, "Orochi, I am not fooled. Go. And do not come near Tetsuya again."

"That is some show of gratitude for the risks I took to protect him, cousin," Orochi said, frowning.

"I should kill you for abusing him!"

"What makes you think I abused him?" Orochi asked, meeting Tetsuya's eyes meaningfully.

Byakuya turned and looked at him, and Tetsuya heard Orochi's warning ringing in his ears.

_There will be no evidence of it ever found, so no one will believe you._

He shivered softly, looking up at Byakuya and struggling for words.

"I...I don't remember so much," he confessed, "Everything is very fuzzy in my mind."

"I am sure things will clear as you get well, Cousin Tetsuya. Rest now. Rest and be assured, no one will hurt you here."

He turned back to Orochi.

"Go."

Tetsuya shivered again, listening as Orochi's footsteps faded.

Byakuya sat down on the bed and looked at him quietly for a long time.

"Tetsuya," he said finally, "I know that he hurt you. And I think you are afraid to say so because he might try to do so again. But, I will protect you. Even though we cannot prove his crimes to the council, you have escaped him. And I won't let him or anyone else hurt you."

"Thank you, Byakuya-sama!" Tetsuya said, seeking the other youth's arms and holding on tightly.

He felt dark eyes watching him and looked out the garden doors to find Orochi standing at a distance and watching him.

_This is not over,_ those eyes seemed to say, _It will never be over._

_You belong to me._


	6. An Honorable Proposal

**Chapter 6: An Honorable Proposal**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Thanks to Nazrita (Good question! this chapter will give you an idea.), SilverSerpentine (You've got it!), MissLilly2012 (Thanks so much for reading! Chat with you soon!), Kyuumihaira (Oh, Orochi will cure him of that!), Kittykins (Aww, thanks! I'm so glad you like it. More is on the way!), Picklez80 (Here you go!), and Lovise Polaris (I think that the seduction begins soon, but how it will happen is...interesting). Enjoy the chapter! Love, Spunky)**

**(a hundred years later)**

"I thought that I would find you here," Kuchiki Sadao said, moving to Tetsuya's side and following his gaze down to the grave marker in front of them.

He studied the young man's handsome profile, the lovely pale visage and wide, sapphire eyes that radiated something between love and lingering sadness. His taller, fully grown body was slender and strong. The wavy wisps of his silken black hair fluttered in the gentle breezes, the only ruffling of the strength and calm that surrounded him. He wore the dark blue livery of the Kuchiki House Guards and wore at his hip a blue steel sword, bearing a hilt that was the color of his eyes. A tall black Arabian stallion stood quietly outside the family cemetery gates, his sapphire eyes fixed on the two and his ears cutely perked.

"Byakuya told us about the Yukihana clan leader's proposal. Mai and I were curious about your thoughts on the matter."

Tetsuya smiled at the elder shinigami affectionately.

"Were you worried I would be unhappy about it?" he asked, breathing in the calming scent of the grass and flowers, "You do not have to worry, Father. I am content to marry Yukihana Hiro, if that is what Byakuya-sama deems is best for clan relations."

Sadao sighed and slipped an arm around the younger man's shoulders, and was quietly acknowledged as Tetsuya's head tilted slightly more in his direction.

"Segare, please listen to me. I have been your father ever since you emerged from out of Itamigiri. Mai and I have loved and cared for you every step of the way of your recovery, but this one last step you must take, is one that should not be an act of duty, but love."

"Yukihana Hiro is reputed to be a gentle and kind leader," Tetsuya said, looking down at Naoki's marker, "Why would I not love a person like him?"

"But he is a stranger to you. You have only met once."

"And my impression of him is that he will not be unkind to me. Besides, many to most noble marriages are marriages of convenience. I should be considered fortunate to have a clan leader ask for my hand, given how many clans still look down on my kind."

"Ah, Tetsuya. We only want the best for you. You know that Byakuya-sama would not mind if you politely refused the proposal. If it is not required, you should not be so willing to give up your love in this way. You have a choice. That is all I am saying. We are not at odds with Hiro-sama's clan. And he does not seem the kind to hold a grudge if you did not accept."

"I understand your concern," Tetsuya said calmly, "But the truth is that I do not think I will fall in love again. I loved Naoki, and my heart broke when he gave up his life so that I would live. I will not endanger another lover like that again."

Sadao shook his head, frowning.

"But Segare, weren't you the one who told your mother and me that we had to move forward from the pain of having lost our son? We suffered badly when our Mitsuru was killed, but had we not been able to mourn him and move forward, we wouldn't have such profound joy as we know having adopted you into our subfamily! In the same way, as much as you will always love and respect your Naoki, you too must open your heart to let love back inside. You are such a beautiful young man. It is no wonder that Hiro-sama noticed you."

"And perhaps, given time, we will come to love each other," Tetsuya concluded, "I will not close my heart to him, should we wed. I think that it shall be a happy union."

"Ah, very well," Sadao sighed, shaking his head, "I imagine you are decided, and I will not go on questioning your choice. Just, do give this a bit more thought before you answer him."

"I will, Father," Tetsuya promised, laughing softly.

They went quiet for several minutes, listening to bird calls and the sound of the breeze in the trees. Then, Tetsuya turned and started back in the direction of the manor with Sadao on one side and the stallion following a few steps behind on the other.

"I hear that the household has been placed on high alert," Sadao commented, "So, he thinks there will be trouble?"

"I am afraid so," Tetsuya said, his eyes darkening, "The household guards are being instructed to be prepared to evacuate the manor on a moments notice. Routes have been planned to the evacuation site, and stores have been placed. It is a serious situation with the quincies. Byakuya-sama is certain that hostilities will break out soon. Soutaichou was informed by the enemy that they would invade in five days. There is some concern it will be even less than that. There is a high amount of chatter about the upper Rukongai of sightings of strangers hovering outside the Seireitei barrier."

"That does sound very ominous."

"Yes," Tetsuya agreed, "but we are prepared. As soon as word is given, or upon first word of invasion, the manor will be evacuated. It is for everyone's protection, as this enemy appears to be a powerful group of quincies, and they have an ability that may nullify use of our bankai."

Sadao's expression became even more troubled.

"I do not like how this is developing," he commented, his mind drifting to thoughts of his younger daughter, "Do you think that Kohana will be all right?"

Tetsuya smiled.

"She came home this morning for a weeklong leave. If hostilities break out, she will serve with the house guards. I will watch over her, Father."

"I know you will. I understand that she is talented, and meant to serve as a protector, but after losing Mitsuru the way we did..."

"It is hard to see another of your children place herself in harm's way," Tetsuya concluded.

"Yes."

Sadao let out a soft, worried breath and gazed down the length of the forested trail ahead of them.

"Tetsuya, my apologies, but we are still preparing the subfamily to respond if there is trouble. I must leave you now."

The two exchanged a warm embrace and the elder man flash stepped away, leaving Tetsuya walking quietly alongside his mount, his head bent and his eyes thoughtful. He went on for several steps, but paused, frowning, as a dark figure appeared from another trail that crossed his.

"Orochi," he greeted his black-eyed cousin in a low, barely civil tone, "What are you doing here?"

His elder cousin let out a huff of breath.

"My father sent me to report to Byakuya-sama that our subfamily has completed preparations."

"Then I will tell him. You needn't come to the manor. I will carry the message to him."

"I see you are as pleasant as usual, Cousin," Orochi commented.

"You are lucky I tolerate your presence this close to me," Tetsuya answered, his reiatsu flaring softly, "I haven't forgotten what happened before. And if you so much as blink the wrong way in my direction, I will show you how _unpleasant_ I can be."

"Ah, Orochi said, frowning disapprovingly, "You have grown quite belligerent. But what would one expect, considering the savage blood that trickles through your veins, ne?"

Tetsuya didn't answer, but only glared at him out of the corner of one blue eye and continued walking. Behind him, Arashi's ears laid back, and a tendril of steam issued from one nostril in warning.

"See now," Orochi went on, glancing back at the stallion, "He has your same egregious manners. You seem to both forget that you would not be alive and walking around free, if it hadn't been for me."

Tetsuya let out a sharp, heated breath.

"If it had been up to you, Orochi, you would have only had me exchange the chains that bound me in the prisons for ones that bound me to your bed! I am not _stupid_ enough to think for a moment that you had anything like feelings of affection for me. You despised me and you used my body for your own pleasure. You tormented me and looked down on me. And if I _had_ lowered myself and let you have your way, I would still be weak and useless to anyone!"

Orochi moved closer, making Arashi growl softly with displeasure as he breathed his next words into his cousin's flushed ear.

"Oh, but is bodily pleasure not a useful thing Tetsuya? Or is it that you do not remember what pleasure is? How long has it been since anyone touched you?"

Tetsuya didn't answer, but only glared at him and kept walking.

"Or perhaps you won't be lonely for much longer," Orochi went on, "I understand that Yukihana Hiro has offered to take you off our hands."

"That is none of your business," Tetsuya snapped.

"Ah, but it is," Orochi said, his eyes glinting and his expression one of complete seriousness, "I told you that you are mine. You can continue your celibacy for as long as you want, Tetsuya, but no one else will ever touch you but me!"

"Get away from me!" Tetsuya hissed, vaulting onto Arashi's back and setting his heels to the horse's sides.

Arashi gave an equine snarl and plunged forward, nearly trampling the black-eyed shinigami.

"Go ahead and run," he whispered, watching the two disappear down the trail, "You've been running form me for a hundred years and you haven't escaped me. You never will."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya slid down off of Arashi's back as the stallion entered the manor grounds, then sent his equine partner off with a gentle pat on the sweating shoulder.

"Go and cool off now."

_Are you sure that we should separate? _Arashi's voice whispered in his mind, _I do not like that man. And he said that he was coming here._

The house guards will just take his message and send him on his way," Tetsuya responded, glancing warily back at the forested trail they had come down, "Byakuya-sama is at his division and unavailable. That man will have no reason to stay."

_Good. The sooner he is gone, the better. I don't like the way he speaks to you._

"We share a...complicated history," Tetsuya confessed, "from before you emerged. He was assigned to protect me in the prison, until I could be freed. But he also tormented me. It was very strange, Arashi. I never knew if that man loved or hated me. I still don't know. His words say one thing, but his actions don't always match up."

_Don't torment yourself, thinking about it, Master. I won't let him hurt you._

"Thank you, Arashi," Tetsuya said softly, watching as the stallion trotted away.

He moved on to the nearest guard post and greeted the guard quietly.

"How goes the watch, Tsutomu?" he asked.

"It is quiet," said the guard, "There has been no word of additional sightings, but a warning has been issued."

"Oh?"

"They say that when they analyzed the pattern of appearances, it did seem that many were close to the homes of noble lords. There is concern within the Noble's General Council that our families will be directly targeted when hostilities break out."

"Hmmm, then it would be best, I think, if we prepare to move out now. Double the guard on our escape path, and send word to all of the subfamilies to be ready to begin the evacuation upon our signal."

He went quiet as the back gate opened and Orochi arrived in the gardens.

"Go on. Ken will be here momentarily to relieve you anyway."

"Yes, sir!" the guard said, bowing, then flash stepping away.

"Is there trouble, Tetsuya?" Orochi asked, looking around, "You look spooked, and by more than my presence."

"Your presence isn't enough to spook me," Tetsuya replied icily, "But, yes, there is going to be trouble. The quincies are looking to have positioned themselves to attack the noble clans directly. And I do not imagine that those our ancestors tried to force into extinction are going to spare our women and children. They will kill everyone in their path. You had best return home and help your family prepare."

"I need to speak to Byakuya-sama before I go."

"Then you will have to seek him at the sixth division, as he has housed himself there with his squad for the duration of the alert," Tetsuya answered brusquely, "Now, if you will excuse me..."

"Wait," Orochi said, laying a hand on Tetsuya's arm.

"Don't touch me!" Tetsuya snapped, pulling away, "Don't you _ever _lay hands on me!"

Orochi started to answer, but stiffened and went silent as an explosion sounded in the distance and the ground rumbled warningly. A moment later, the house alarms began to shriek.

"They are coming!" Tetsuya shouted to the nearest guard, Give the evacuation signal!"

Another sharp, shrieking wail joined the first, and all around the manor, staff and family left off their tasks and grabbed their prepared packs. They flash stepped to the garden, where Tetsuya began directing them to the escape path.

"You really should go," he told Orochi, noticing that the other man was still beside him, "You will want to help get your family and staff to safety."

"Everything will be locked down and they will be gone before I get back," Orochi said, "There is no use in going now."

"Then, go to the evacuation site for the main family," Tetsuya said shortly, "I don't have time to deal with you now!"

He moved quickly to the side of a small child who had fallen while running alongside her mother.

"There now," he said, smiling comfortingly and gathering the things she had dropped, "You will be all right. Go with your mother. We will be guarding your path. Don't be afraid."

"Th-thank you, Tetsuya-san!" the girl said, holding her pack tightly and scampering to her mother.

He heard Orochi speak, but could make no sense of the words as more explosions sounded, and screams broke out nearby.

"Go on now. Move quickly and do not stray from the path!" he told the retreating shinigamis.

"Tetsuya-san! They have broken through the main gate!" shouted a bloodied guard, who had appeared near them, "We can't stop them! They said they are going to kill every man, woman and child!"

Tetsuya's lips tightened and he glanced at Orochi.

"If you want to be useful, then stay here and make sure everyone gets away safely!"

He turned and ran for the manor gates, followed by a group of house guards.

"Make sure everyone is out!" Tetsuya shouted, "I will hold them off for as long as I can!"

He turned the corner, heading for the manor entry and setting several escape forms as Arashi appeared at his side and he sensed Orochi behind him.

"I told you to..."

"They are all out," Orochi said, cutting him off, "We only need to fend them off until the last house check is completed."

Tetsuya ignored him and advanced on the white clad form that had broken through the gates.

"Hold!" he commanded the other, "Do not come any closer!"

"Do you think I fear you, shinigami?" the quincy said in an oddly calm voice, "I am going to annihilate you and everyone here!"

Tetsuya felt a shiver slice through him as reiatsu flares of the fighting and dying began to reach him.

"You feel it, don't you?" the quincy hissed softly, moving forward, "The noble families are falling. I just came from your General Council Hall, where I _slaughtered_ nearly half of those gathered. You are no match for me, shinigami...you alone."

"He is not alone," Orochi said, drawing his weapon and sending it wordlessly into release.

Four large black snakes emerged and shot forward, bearing down on the quincy, who only watched calmly as they curled around his limbs and sank their teeth in.

"You shouldn't have let them bite you," said Orochi, "That will be your last mistake!"

He launched himself at the quincy, an was stunned to see he was laughing. Behind him, Tetsuya sensed what was about to happen and flash stepped forward. The quincy's hand extended and took hold of Orochi's kimono, then revealed a shining blue weapon in his other hand that he thrust into the black-eyed shinigami's chest. The quincy started to laugh, then paused staring as Orochi's body turned to water and splashed to the ground.

"What?"

Tetsuya settled into one of the escape forms he had left and watched as Orochi materialized next to him.

"I suppose I owe you some gratitude," Orochi said, glaring at the surprised quincy,

"If you are that reckless again, I won't save you," Tetsuya snapped, scowling.

He flash stepped away, leaving Orochi gazing after him, a sly smile rising on his lips.

"Orochi-san!" called one of the house guards, "The last check is confirmed. Everyone is out. All house guards are protecting the evacuation route, but we must hurry and go, ourselves before we are trapped here!"

"Go!" Orochi ordered the guard, "I will get Tetsuya out."

He watched the man disappear, then moved back to where the quincy and Tetsuya were engaged.

"That was an interesting move," the quincy observed, "It was difficult to defend against, but now that I know you can move that way, I will be prepared."

"And what makes you think that 'being prepared' is going to save you?" Tetsuya hissed, bringing his weapon to bear.

"You know," the quincy went on, "Perhaps instead of protecting your foolish comrade, you should have let me kill him and you might have landed a blow on me. But your foolish emotions got in the way and stole your one chance to defeat me. Don't think you will escape death now, shinigami."

"Go ahead and attack me," Tetsuya taunted him, "You will not be able to strike a blow. And the more time we spend, exchanging useless strikes, the more time there is for the ones I protect to reach safety. Come then, I am ready!"

The quincy frowned as four large snakes surrounded him and coiled warningly.

"What is this?" he said, frowning, "I thought you would be smarter than to try the same useless ability twice."

"I didn't," Orochi said mockingly, laughing as the coiled snakes turned their red eyes on the quincy, freezing him in place.

Orochi slashed at the trapped quincy, pouring all of his strength into the blow. But he was stymied again as the quincy broke free and took aim on him again. And once again, he felt Tetsuya's hand touch him, and he was fired alongside the younger man, into another escape form.

"I told you to go!" Tetsuya said angrily, "You are doing no good. Your attacks obviously cannot hit him."

"Oh, and yours are doing so much better, Cousin," Orochi replied, shaking his head, "We need to find a way to get through whatever protects him from our strikes."

"I noticed something," Tetsuya said quietly, "The only time he has moved from that spot was that first time I moved in to rescue you. There was danger in that moment. He was vulnerable in some way. That's the truth of it, or he wouldn't have moved."

"Well, he was about to attack me."

Tetsuya's eyes widened.

"That's it! He cannot do both at once. We have to get him to attack one of us, while the other lies in wait!"

"I'll act as decoy," Orochi said, flash stepping away.

"Baka! That won't work!" Tetsuya mused, "He knows we are together."

He paused, reaching out with his senses.

_Arashi, are the family members protected?_

_Yes,_ the stallion's voice answered, _but, Tetsuya, more than a few of the house guards have fallen. I am coming back for you._

Tetsuya moved out from the cover of a corner of the main building and positioned himself for attack, watching as Orochi taunted the quincy, trying to get him to attack.

_He is not invested in this battle,_ the blue-eyed shinigami mused, _He is playing with us as though waiting for something. This gives me an ominous feeling..._

"What's the matter," Orochi said calmly, gazing into the quincy's deadly eyes, "Are you just going to stand there all day? I have better things to do. So, take your best shot. Go ahead."

"Your ploy will not work," the quincy said mockingly in reply, "Your comrade will not be able to cut me. You know that. Why don't you give up?"

He laughed as Tetsuya appeared to his side and wrapped a hand around his wrist.

"Tetsuya, what are you doing?" Orochi demanded, flash stepping towards the two.

"Foolish boy," the quincy hissed, using his free hand to grab the blue-eyed shinigami by the throat.

Blue light rose around his hand and the pressure on Tetsuya's throat increased painfully.

"You are going to die now," the quincy whispered, "Farewell, shinigami."

He made a sound of surprise and pain as Orochi's weapon sank into his body, then screamed and dropped to his knees. Tetsuya brought his weapon around to give a finishing blow, but gasped as the weapon failed to penetrate the quincy's reeling body.

"It's no good," Orochi said calmly, "Tetsuya, let's go. Can't you feel it? The Gotei is not able to stop them. We have to get to the evacuation site! Leave him and come."

Orochi turned away, leaving the badly injured quincy on the ground, and Tetsuya started to retreat with him, but froze, staring, as he felt a tremendous release of power, then the disappearance of a heartbreakingly familiar reiatsu.

"B-byakuya-sama!" he gasped, reeling.

That shock was followed by two more.

"Renji-san! Rukia-chan!" he whispered, his face going pale.

He locked eyes with Orochi, who had turned back towards him at the shift in reiatsu. He watched as horror changed to fury on Tetsuya's youthful face and flash stepped towards him.

"Don't! Don't do it! Stop!" he roared, as Tetsuya fired himself in the direction in which he had felt Byakuya's life force diminish, "It's too late, and we can't kill them like this, Tetsuya! You'll only be destroyed, you fool!"

He managed to catch the younger man around the waist, and quickly dragged him in the direction of the encampment.

"Stop it!" he reprimanded his struggling cousin, "Tetsuya, you can't help them. You know that. And don't you feel it? There are endless more coming and nothing to stop them. We have to reach the encampment and offer them our protection, or we will all share in our leader's fate!"

"You are only saying that because you hate him," Tetsuya snapped back, "you have ever since he got me away from you! Now let me go, you bastard! I am going to him!"

"Very well. I see you won't be stopped any other way."

Tetsuya's eyes widened as a heavy shock of kido roared through his body, stunning him and leaving him collapsed in his cousin's arms.

"Idiot, you only would have died," Orochi huffed, lifting the unconscious man and turning.

He went still as he found himself face to face with a panting and enraged black stallion.

_What are you doing to him? Put him down!_

"What do you think I am doing, you brainless beast!" Orochi said disdainfully, "I am saving his life. They would have destroyed him."

_So very generous of you, _Arashi's voice said dryly, _Put him on my back and get away from us. I will carry Tetsuya to the encampment._

"Ah, and leave me to my devices?" Orochi said, smiling wryly, "You share his charm, Arashi."

_You hurt him before. I won't let you do that again._

The ground rumbled around the three, and screams sounded all around them.

"And how do you think your master will feel to know you abandoned me to death?"

_He will not waste his tears on you. You don't deserve them._

The first of the foot soldiers appeared in the distance and spotted them. He called out to his comrades, who fired their arrows at them. Arashi reared and lowered his head, then fired a volley of ice blade from his nose and mouth. The quincy that Orochi and Tetsuya had been facing before, appeared suddenly off to their right, raising an odd, metallic medallion.

"You are using a bankai?" he mused, "But you are not a shinigami. Still, you will regret exposing your power to my medallion!"

Arashi howled and reared again as the medallion flared to life. The quincy's expression darkened, and he frowned as Arashi loosed another volley of ice blades.

"It doesn't work on him?" Orochi mused, watching curiously as the stallion turned his head.

_Get on, quickly! We're getting Tetsuya to safety. I don't usually use this power in front of others, but there are too many, even for my bankai._

Orochi lifted Tetsuya onto the stallions back and climbed up behind him, holding on tightly and staring raptly as black wings sprouted from the horse's back. He gasped at the feeling of dizziness that swept over him as Arashi rose into the air, firing off another round of ice blades and turning away.

A huge wall of quincy arrows followed as Arashi soared away. He tightened his wings and shortened them to gain more speed, but gave an equine scream as they started to close in.

"Kami...!" Orochi breathed strickenly, holding Tetsuya in a death grip as the quincy power struck them and Arashi squealed and started to fall.

The stallion managed to angle his body and wings to level out somewhat and threw himself over a nearby lake as he came crashing down. Orochi shattered the kido that held them to the horse's back and hauled on Tetsuya's limp form, reaching blindly for the water's surface. The added weight of the other shinigami pulled him lower in the water and he kicked his feet hard, his lungs aching as he struggled harder. He began to lose sensation in his body and his lungs screamed for air. He looked down at Tetsuya, his black eyes wide as he realize the choice he was going to have to make.

_I can't let go._

He hated the words. They sounded weak, as though he was nothing without that other person. He tried to let go, but his hand wouldn't release. Consciousness began to leave him and he managed a short inward chuckle as his breath left him and the water came in.

_I knew you would be the death of me, Tetsuya._

Everything disappeared in an odd, blue haze. And the last thing that registered was the warm pressure of Tetsuya's hand grasping his.


	7. Here, at the End of Everything

**Chapter 7: Here, At the End of Everything**

**(Haha! Here's yet another for you, Lovise Polaris! I couldn't get the events of this chapter out of my head so I couldn't work on anything else until I got it down. Thanks to Picklez80 (Hmmm, good instincts!), Kittykins (Thanks so much! I like for action scenes to feel as real as possible, so I write and rewrite until they make my heart pound. Now, this chappie will make your heart pound in a different way. I will have to put the unedited copy on AO3 later today. Had to leave out a little bit...), Lovise Polaris (Not to worry, things will heat up nicely now!), Kyuumihaira (Yes, Orochi is too prideful to admit he is in love, but he says it without meaning to sometimes!), Kirenuchiha1 (Ah, he did impregnate Tetsuya in this one, but the prison master ordered the pregnancy aborted. There's more to what happened, as will be seen in this chapter.) Enjoy! Love, Spunky)**

_I am...still breathing?_

_How can that be?_

_I was sinking down into darkness, a place blacker than my heart._

_But I felt your hand tighten on mine, Tetsuya._

_Did you save me, yet again?_

_Why?_

Orochi heard a very soft sound of deep, soulful regret and tried to move. At first, all he could do was to open his eyes and let them adjust to the dark interior of the place he found himself in. A gentle kido light illuminated the place enough that he could see that the walls were made of some kind of porous stone. And he still smelled water.

_Where am I?_

_What is this place?_

_And you are still here with me, Tetsuya?_

He heard another soft sound of despair and was taken back in time.

_"The baby is gone, Tetsuya," he told the youth, his voice flat and toneless...tired, "There is nothing you can do. Crying and starving yourself isn't going to bring him back."_

_Tetsuya didn't answer, but only continued his soft, muted sounds of misery._

_"You have to let this go or you will kill yourself with grief. And what sense is there in that? We all have unfulfilled wishes. And it isn't the wishes that die that should hold power over us. If you can wish for a child, then you can wish for another."_

_"N-no!" Tetsuya sobbed, his slender hands clenching painfully, "No, I could never feel this again...never! It is too much...to cruel to have my heart teased with fullness, only to return to so much emptiness! My body is weak and empty, and my heart is just as much so!"_

_He sat near Tetsuya, watching him clutch at the bedding and cry, trying to tell himself, as he had been told once by his own father, that such a thing was disgraceful. A strong man wouldn't carry on so. And in truth, though he recognized the inescapable fact that Tetsuya's body was weak, the youth's heart had always radiated strength...a fact which made him pleasant to possess. Yes, even when Tetsuya's body was bound, restrained and at its weakest and most vulnerable, his heart beat like a demon's. There was fire there, deep beneath the surface that only emerged when everything else was held back. It was the reason why he liked to bind the younger man so much. He found the mingling of those two things intoxicating. But when Tetsuya's heart fell into despair and became vulnerable too, Orochi felt pain. And before Tetsuya's heart could become strong again, that pain had to be dealt with._

_He moved closer to Tetsuya, and slipped a bracing arm around him, pulling him up so that he knelt on the bed, then shocking the youth by binding his hands in leather restraints._

_"Wh-what are doing? Don't! I will get...! I will become...! I cannot do that again!"_

_"Be quiet," Orochi answered in a low voice, "I won't get you pregnant again, Tetsuya. No one will."_

_"What?" Tetsuya asked, blinking and sending another tear rolling down his face, "What do you mean?"_

_He loosed the tie on the fine, blue yukata, baring the younger man and watching his body shiver in expectation. Tetsuya gave him a surprised look as he traced a shape over the prisoner's pale breast, over his heart._

_"You don't want to feel that kind of pain again, ne?" Orochi said, looking into Tetsuya's wide, devastated eyes, "As your master, I will not allow that kind of pain to reach you again."_

_"But...Orochi-sama likes to cause me pain, does he not? Orochi-sama feels my pain and it arouses him."_

_"You really don't understand, do you?" Orochi sighed, caressing the leather bonds with his fingertips and resting his head on Tetsuya's shoulder from behind, "I don't care how weak your body is and your pain isn't what arouses me."_

_"It...it is not?" Tetsuya asked, looking confused._

_"No, you fool," Orochi went on, reaching around to caress the snake shaped marking he had made over Tetsuya's heart, "This is what arouses me."_

_Tetsuya turned his head slightly, gazing at his cousin silently._

_"Your heart. Even though your body is weak, your heart keeps beating. As much as I tie you down and cause you pain, it only beats harder and grows stronger. Anything that strengthens it, I will accept. But anything that weakens it," he breathed into the youth's blushing ear, "I will destroy!"_

_It was as much of an admission as he would ever allow himself._

_"That marking is a seal," Orochi told Tetsuya, "Until I remove it, you are in no danger of having your heart broken that way."_

_Tetsuya stared at him as if he had gone mad. His fingers trembled slightly as he touched the marking questioningly._

_"Now, then, I have relieved you of the need for worry. It is your turn to show me your gratitude, Tetsuya," he said, sliding his fingers into the younger man's hair and curling a hand around the back of his neck._

_Tetsuya hesitated, still looking into Orochi's depthless black eyes wonderingly. Finally, a slow, tremulous smile touched his lips, and he lowered himself between his cousin's parted thighs._

_"Thank you, Orochi-sama," he whispered, his breath tickling the sensitive skin of Orochi's nether region and causing an instant, powerful reaction._

_The words continued to echo in Orochi's piqued mind as Tetsuya pleasured him_

_This is what I love about you._

_Tetsuya, I..._

_His eyes closed and his mind went blank as Tetsuya's warm ministrations brought him to completion._

_This is dangerous._

_"Orochi-sama?"_

_"What is it?"_

_"You look...unhappy. Did I not please you?"_

_"Take off that yukata and go, Tetsuya."_

_"O-orochi-sama?"_

_"Go back to your cell. Let Naoki comfort you. Go now, Tetsuya."_

_"Y-yes, Orochi-sama."_

_There was a long, silent pause, then Tetsuya's voice sounded again._

_"Erm, Orochi-sama?"_

_"What is it?"_

_"I cannot leave until you unbind me."_

_"Hmmm," Orochi mumbled, pulling the younger man down and wrapping his body around him, "Then, I suppose there is no choice but to let you stay a bit longer."_

"Tetsuya."

His cousin acted as though he hadn't heard. Orochi breathed in more deeply and managed, despite the pain, to turn his head slightly. His eyes found Tetsuya's battered and disheveled body leaning up against the stone wall, partially facing him. He could see tears streaming down the curves of the younger man's face, and that he was shivering. His sword arm rested in a makeshift sling, and his top was opened, revealing his bruised chest and torso.

"Tetsuya," he said again, trying to turn onto his side.

Pain rocketed through his abused body and he went still for a moment, closing his eyes.

_It felt like we crashed into stone instead of water, though I know it was just the water._

"You shouldn't move," Tetsuya said, turning his head aside so that his tears weren't so obvious, "You suffered several cracked ribs and a concussion. I healed them, but you should rest."

"Where are we?"

"Under the water."

"Under?"

"I regained consciousness and found that we were beneath the surface of the water. I used my power so that we could breathe and searched until I found this place. There is air that comes down from the surface, but there are no openings to pass through. No one without an ability like mine will be able to reach us. We will be safe here while we heal."

Orochi took several more steadying breaths, then lifted his complaining body so that he could sit, rested against the wall and facing the younger shinigami. Tetsuya gazed at him quietly in the half light.

"The Gotei 13 has been defeated," he said solemnly, "The Seireitei is in ruins. Our homes have been completely destroyed."

"How do you...?"

"I keep several escape waterforms in different places. Some of them survived and I was able to..."

"You _left me here_?" Orochi hissed, his eyes darkening, "What if you hadn't been able to return? You fool!"

"I didn't leave," Tetsuya corrected him, "I only used the waterforms to look. The battles seem to have ended, for now. As soon as we are recovered enough, we should be able to move safely to the evacuation site."

"Were you able to 'see' that place too?"

"Yes, I had placed a waterform there. The family looks to be safe."

"Why do we not use your waterform, then, to go there?"

"I cannot connect with Arashi," Tetsuya explained.

"Why does that matter?" Orochi asked, frowning, "What _is _that beast, anyway, Tetsuya? He has never left your side since he appeared that day, when Byakuya's forces stormed the prison."

"I am not sure how to explain that," Tetsuya confessed, "Except to say that Arashi seems to bear that part of my power that my weakened body could not contain. Perhaps it is best to say that he is a manifestation of my will to fight, which outstrips my body's ability to manage the extremes of power."

"So, he is a part of you," Orochi said dryly, "I knew there was a reason he was so ornery and pig headed."

"Neither of us will willingly let another control our fate," Tetsuya said firmly, "But, I cannot connect with his mind. I cannot tell whether he is merely unconscious or...worse."

"And this makes you unable to use your powers?" Orochi mused, "Why?"

"I am able to use healing kido and the like, but losing our connection so suddenly shocked my systems. I feel burning pain inside when I try to use my waterforms. I can manage to look through them, but I cannot move through them like I usually do. But, I am sure that, as I heal, I will be able to manage that, and we can reach the encampment."

"But, in the meantime, we are trapped here," Orochi concluded.

"We are not trapped," Tetsuya said, blinking slowly, "I can still breathe under the water. We can leave that way, at any time, but until we are healed, it would be inadvisable. We don't know what forces are still in the area, though the battles seems to have ended, and we are in poor shape for fighting."

"You have that right," Orochi agreed, "We took a beating when Arashi was brought down over the water. It was like crashing into solid rock."

"But it gave us cover so that we could escape our enemies. And here, we are safe to conduct our healing."

Orochi nodded.

"Come here, then, Tetsuya."

Tetsuya gave him a look of warning and did not move from where he knelt.

"You are not going to touch me."

Orochi let out an impatient sigh.

"Your sword arm is obviously broken, and you probably have a few cracked ribs, yourself," he said, frowning, "Do you really want to just sit there and hurt? And besides, your healing will take longer without intervention. You can't heal yourself. Just don't be a nuisance and let me see to your wounds."

Orochi held his eyes for a long moment, then shot forward, ignoring the sharp pain that flashed in his body. He brought the younger man down onto the rock floor, glaring into his shocked eyes as Tetsuya loosed a pained cry.

"What are you doing?" he demanded furiously, "Orochi, stop!"

"You stop, baka! You're going to hurt yourself!"

"Orochi, let go of me!" Tetsuya shouted, struggling, then wincing and screaming in pain as he moved his injured arm the wrong way.

Orochi swiftly invoked a strong kido spell that bound Tetsuya's uninjured wrist to the rock wall.

"What are you doing?" Tetsuya demanded furiously.

He went still as a shock of kido paralyzed him, then could only stare up at his elder cousin in surprise and dismay.

"I am making sure you don't injure yourself any worse, you stupid fool! I know you think you hate me. You've worked very hard to convince yourself of that. You despise me so much that you would leave yourself in this condition, even though you know I could heal you. And I wouldn't put it past you to leave me trapped down here, while you swam away!"

Orochi leaned over his younger cousin, gathering green, healing reiatsu around his hands. He sent the gathered energy into Tetsuya's injured arm, cradling the broken section in his hand to keep it still as he worked. Unable to put up any more resistance, Tetsuya gazed up into Orochi's glittering black eyes, watching the flickers of emotion on his cousin's face.

"I...w-wouldn't have left you."

Orochi gave him a skeptical look.

"Tetsuya, I didn't stay alive as long as I have with as many enemies as I have made by being stupid and trusting. You may be able to put your complete faith in our cousin, Byakuya, and trust him with everything, but I will never be fool enough to do that. I am not weak. I do not need to lean on someone else to make myself stronger. And I am no man's fool. As wicked as another might be, I am more so still."

He went silent as tears rose in Tetsuya's eyes at the mention of Byakuya's name. A few leaked onto his face, and Orochi frowned and wiped them away.

"Stop that. You don't know that he died, and even if he did, you don't need him to survive."

"B-but..!"

"You didn't survive the prison because of him. He only opened the doors. You fought to stay alive while you were there. And someone else stood between you and death, Tetsuya. Someone else wouldn't let you die."

Tetsuya flinched as memories of torment, horrid illness, shattering loss and the looming threat of execution returned to him in full force.

"Orochi..."

"I protected you by making sure the other guards wouldn't touch you. I placed you with Naoki and let him be gentle with you."

"N-no!"

"I brought medicine when you were dying."

"S-stop!"

"I rescued you from the pit, and I made you stop crying when they killed our baby."

"Orochi, stop it!"

"And when they were going to execute you, I took you to a safe place and went back to kill the man who ordered our baby's death and your execution. I won't be untruthful. I did all of those things for my own reasons, some of them very selfish. But I did protect you, Tetsuya. You can make all of the excuses you want to try to vilify me, and I've always made it easy for you to do that. I let you hide behind Byakuya for a hundred years, watching you avoid love and saying it was because you lost that other boy. But Naoki is gone. Byakuya is gone. Outside this place, everything has fallen apart. There is no one else here for you, but me. Why don't you listen to the sounds of fate and realize the truth? You belong to only me. You always have, and you always will, Tetsuya."

Orochi closed the distance, lying down on top of his cousin's incapacitated body and burning his lips and mouth with a long, penetrating and scorching, open-mouthed kiss. Tetsuya's eyes blazed with rage and he turned his head away forcefully.

"Stop it! Don't do that! You bastard! That is not love. It's only poison!"

Orochi smiled wickedly and loosed a soft, mocking laugh.

"It may be poison, Tetsuya, but then, it is a poison you can't help but crave," he hissed softly, sinking into the younger man's angry mouth again.


End file.
